Distance: Identities
by General Kitty Girl
Summary: KxD DxS The third edition to the popular "Distance" series! Though they've escaped the World of Shadows, it seems that the World of Light isn't a safe haven any longer. Evil magic has escaped from the cursed Hikari painting, and now it's wants revenge..
1. A Rift in the Seal

**Chapter 1:**

Darkness. Night. Silence. Vacancy. At night, the museum seemed like a ghost town. At Satoshi's request the police had left the now blank canvas at the scene of the supposed crime…where Dark had allegedly switched the real Hikari painting for a blank one. But he had not, and Satoshi knew… for he himself had been within that canvas, the portal to another world, and been over come by its magic. After Krad and Dark had defeated the demon within the painting the symbols on the canvas that made the door to the Shadow World art, had vanished…at the deaths of the Guardians…Adel and Zanus…the painting had sealed itself from the inside. Yet, Satoshi had returned…for if the painting truly was of no more danger, then the canvas would have truly been blank…but it wasn't…to a being cursed with Hikari eyes, the canvas looked back at him. It became a mirror, meaning that the painting was not fully sealed. Tonight, he hoped to put his fears to rest and seal this painting once and for all.

Satoshi had finally entered the Medieval Exhibit room, which was now cleared out with only the large blank canvas in the center of the room. There was little light in the room, only the moonlight from the high skylight; it cast an eerie glow over the chamber.

Satoshi stopped in front of the canvas that to him looked like a mirror, and starred at his reflection. A bead of sweat rolled down his pale skin and the hair on the back of his neck was on ends, he felt as though he were being watched by something, but he knew no one was there.

"It…It's still emitting that aura…" Satoshi said softly to himself trying to subdue the knot in his stomach.

Satoshi's eyes narrowed, he knew what he had to do, and he knew he could do it…but he didn't know…if it would work. Starring at himself in the mirror that only he could see made him feel extremely uncomfortable, but he kept his composure and his mind focused on the mission at hand. Dark wasn't to strike anywhere tonight, he knew, Daisuke had assured him over dinner that Emiko had no plans for them and that Satoshi could finish his business at the museum undisturbed. A smile played on Satoshi's face as he thought of the red headed young man, his best friend…and secretly the love of his life. A sudden jerk of annoyed and magic energy from within his chest brought him out of his musings causing him to come back to the present time and task.

The ice demon living within him still harbored some detest towards the Niwa boy and didn't like Satoshi thinking about him to affectionately, though his tamer had brought Krad's temper about the matter under control, he didn't press his luck and moved Daisuke's image aside. Satoshi looked over the canvas again and focused on the center, the original opening to the shadow world, and placed his hand on the surface.

To his dismay, yet unsurprisingly, the doorway to the Shadow World was still opened by a small rift. The magic within was sealed so nothing would come from the painting…but something was missing and had escaped before Adel and Zanus's deaths. Thinking about the two sorcerers pained his heart a bit, for even though his other self had tried to kill him…in the end, he truly saved his life…by giving his own. Their sacrifice was the only reason he was alive right now…but more importantly, they were the only reason Daisuke was alive.

Suddenly at the thought of the two mages, the area where his hand was began to freeze and a quick shock of energy pinched his skin as he quickly removed his hand with a yelp. He wasn't at all suspecting this reaction. He rubbed his numb hand slightly starring at the mirror in front of him.

"What…what was that?" Satoshi asked confused.

_'Satoshi…look at the edges of the mirror!' Krad growled quickly._

Frost! Shards of frost and ice were surrounding the boards of the mirror from within…but why?

"What do you think it is?" Satoshi asked looking at the icy interior of the portal worriedly.

_'It must be sealing itself…' Krad replied, 'Whatever escaped from there…won't be able to return to it for much longer…'_

Satoshi could feel a warm aura emit from within him and suddenly the ice stopped growing, for now at least.

_'There…' Krad said as Satoshi felt a good-sized portion of his energy drained from him, 'that will keep it open for a while…but not for to long. Whatever escaped from here must be returned as soon as possible.'_

Satoshi looked own at his hand worriedly, usually a spell like this wouldn't have drained so much energy from Krad, but it felt as though it caused him great pain to cast it.

"Krad are you alright?" Satoshi asked.

_'I'm fine…I… I just haven't had to use magic without taking over very often…that's all…' Krad replied as if surprised himself that such a simple spell took so much out of him, but to Satoshi, Krad's theory seemed logical and didn't think too much of it after that. He still was trying to get use to caring about Krad in the first place._

"How long would you say we have?" Satoshi asked.

_'…' Krad was silent for a while, 'I'd say…about a week…maybe two at the most if my spell holds_…'

"Should we ask Daisuke and Da-" Satoshi began only to be cut off.

_'NO!' Krad snapped venomously, 'the last thing we will do is ask for their help! Especially Dark's!'_

"Krad, put your pride away…this isn't a time for your solitary…independent attitude…we could really use their help. Look at all the times their assistance has come through for us." Satoshi countered feeling assured he'd won the argument.

_'Yes, but look at this…every time we've asked for their help…it's because they caused the mess!' Krad spat angrily and Satoshi shivered as Krad's rage ran through his head._

"Krad…" Satoshi replied trying to oppress the chills wreaking his body, "this time it wasn't their fault! And if we don't return whatever has escaped from this painting within our short time frame then we'll be the ones to blame for the mess. What do you think of that?"

_'Sato-kun…trust me…we are better off alone!' Krad growled trying to calm himself down sensing that his anger was harming his host internally, 'The last thing we need is their interference.'_

Satoshi stood adamant by his decision to ask Daisuke for help, unlike the fallen angel that lived inside of him; he wouldn't mind the Niwa's company at all. In fact…Satoshi was looking forward to it.

"Krad, I'm going to call Daisuke in the morning and ask for his assistance." Satoshi said firmly as his gaze ran from the canvas up to the skylight above.

Suddenly, Satoshi felt a sharp drop in any malice emotion from the angel. It worried him at first, back when Krad and he couldn't stand to live together within one body, whenever Krad's energy sharply dropped it would explode a moment later and unimaginable pain would surge through the young detective's body as Krad forcefully took over. But Satoshi was surprised to feel no such hostility.

_'Fine then…beg your dear Niwa for help…' Krad said calmly as is he didn't care, but Satoshi knew better, 'But…I know you're aware of what we're dealing with here…'_

Satoshi froze a moment and remained silent.

_'Whatever escaped from that painting has control of whatever kind of energy held within that canvas…and you and I both know how powerful and evil that energy is…' Krad continued dropping his tone down to more like a warning, 'Do you really want to take the chance of having your precious Daisuke harmed by such evil? Do you really want him to be pulled into a hunt for something he could just as easily become the hunted?'_

Suddenly a soft wave of guilt and worry flooded over Satoshi and his heart began to pound quickly.

_'If you truly care about Daisuke…you won't pull him into such a dangerous mission. And I was under the impression you cared about him very…very much…' Krad finished sending another wave of guilt through Satoshi for even considering asking Daisuke for help._

A sudden realization came to Satoshi; he'd been relying too much on Daisuke. He'd been relying too much on his prey for help…and as a hunter his pride was damaged greatly. But more important then pride was the fact that he didn't want Daisuke to get hurt. Another shudder of cold washed over him and shivered slightly, he didn't want to stay here anymore…not like there was anything else to do.

"…" Satoshi was quiet for a long time as he came out of his thoughts, "Alright Krad, you win…I won't ask Daisuke for help…" He said quietly as his announcing it was a shame.

_'Don't worry Satoshi…' Krad replied and Satoshi suddenly felt warmth all around him as if he were in an embrace, 'You've made the right decision…'_

Satoshi's chest was knotted and tight, he felt so terrible about having to keep this from Daisuke…they had both helped to subdue and survive the world hidden within the painting, and now he felt like he was keeping a secret from Daisuke…and Daisuke deserved to know. Suddenly Satoshi felt a brief moment of pain and then nothing as white wings spread from his back and his short blue hair became long and golden. Krad had taken over as Satoshi was pulled deep inside of the golden seraph's mind.

Krad stood still a moment making sure that Satoshi had fully adjusted to the sudden switch in personalities, once he was satisfied that Satoshi was resting comfortably, he opened his large ivory wings taking in the sweet feel of the outside world. Though as he continued to relish in the feeling of blood running through his veins again a sudden urge to turn to the painting caused him to whirl around on full alert.

Golden cat like eyes glared at the canvas that to him reflected his angelic visage… however nothing was there. Something had drawn him to quickly look at the canvas as though it were a threat… 'Yes' he thought, 'it's best that this time…Dark not interfere… it's far to unpredictable and risky to have his immature behavior destroy what little chance we have at ending this thing once and for all…I can only hope…he'll forgive me…'

With a great and graceful flap of his mighty wings, the fallen angel disappeared into the night through the open skylight above, leaving the cursed canvas behind. At the certainty that his presence was gone, an icy and shadowy hand emerged from within the painting. It seemed that whatever had escaped the painting hadn't gone to far…

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"Daisuke! Wake up, you're going to be late!" Emiko called from down stairs as her son lazily slept upstairs.

"Mmm…" Daisuke groaned and rolled over in his bed trying to block out the annoying sounds of the morning.

_'Dai, come on time for school!' Dark chimed trying his best to make sure that Daisuke didn't get a wink more of sleep. For Daisuke had deprived him of his sleep when he decided to stay up until four a.m. doing his homework that he neglected to do over the weekend because he decided that spending it with the 'creepy bastard' was more important. 'Come on Dai-chan, you brought this mess upon yourself!' Dark said in a tone that sounded more suitable for Emiko._

"Dark…" Daisuke moaned putting a pillow over his head, "Have a little more sympathy!"

_'Nope!' Dark said plainly, 'you'll get none of that from me! It's your fault that you thought Satoshi was more important then your math and English homework.' Dark shouted sending shock waves of pain through Daisuke's head._

"Grrr, okay, okay, okay!" Daisuke growled and slowly forced himself up and out of his comfortable bed, "I'm up, I'm up, I'm up!" He shouted with a yawn and lazily rubbed his eyes.

_'Well it's about time Sunshine!' Dark mocked with a laugh, 'Let's see those bright and beautiful eyes greet the new day!'_

"Dark…I swear…if you had a tangible neck right now…I'd wring it…" Daisuke growled irritably as he pulled off his nightshirt and sloppily tossed it onto the floor.

_'Aww, well good morning to you too.' Dark replied sarcastically._

Daisuke's morning was tiring and irritating, but like usual he plastered a smile on his face and nearly slept through all of his math class. One thing he was able to notice besides the aggravatingly complicated mathematics on the board…was that Satoshi was missing. He hadn't shown up at all to school that day, he wondered if something was wrong…maybe he had some trouble with sealing that painting last night. Maybe he'd just go over to his apartment today after school?

Finally the school day was over…and as usual Daisuke survived…barely. As soon as the bell rang and the art room was cleaned he took off down the street to Satoshi's apartment. He'd been there often enough to memorize where it was, though it was a bit of a distance from the school.

As Daisuke approached the building leading up to Satoshi's place, he noticed that the balcony window was open, a strange thing to see at Satoshi's. He quickly dashed up the stairs and stopped in front of Satoshi's door, he knocked on it slightly. As his hand reached the hard wood…the door slowly slid open. It was unlocked? But, Satoshi always locked his door.

Cautiously he entered and called out Satoshi's name…no answer. Daisuke called out again as he shut the door behind him stepping into the living room. Empty. The place was completely empty. It looked as though Satoshi hadn't been home all night, the place was void of any mess not that Satoshi wasn't a neat freak, but usually he'd forget to wash the dishes or something. His bed was still made and looked untouched, where was Satoshi.

"Dark…he's not here." Daisuke said a bit worried.

_Dark didn't reply. It seemed that he was still asleep, but Daisuke could tell that he was listening to his host a bit concerned himself at his hunter's absents._

"Maybe we should stay here a while and wait for him to come back…" Daisuke said leaving the bedroom and walking into the living room.

_Dark remained silent. Daisuke guessed that he had no objections; obviously he was concerned about them too._

Daisuke sighed deeply and sat down on the large leather couch, surprisingly it was immensely comfortable. Suddenly Daisuke eyelids began to drop and his tiredness over took him and he fell over onto his side and fell into a sound sleep.

Notes from the Author:

HURRAY! A third sequel to "Distance"! For those of you who are reading my work for the first time, I'm General Kitty Girl the author and creator of the DNAngel set of fanfics called 'Distance'! This is the third addition to the series, so I encourage anyone who hasn't read the first two to… READ THEM! I promise you won't be disappointed with them. And as to my wonderful and faithful readers who I am happy to present the third addition too…HOPE YOU ENJOY! And until my posting of Chapter 2, Ta-ta for now! And Happy Holidays!


	2. We Are But Mortals

**Chapter 2:**

Once again the sun had set and the moon was high before Satoshi Hiwatari returned home around midnight. However, it was not Satoshi who landed on that balcony after spending nearly two days away from home searching for whatever demon had escaped from the painting. Tired and weary wings folded gracefully behind the icy angel's back then vanished as he was depleted of energy, and he gave a short sigh of defeat as another unsuccessful night of hunting passed. Satoshi was fast asleep deep within his sub consciousness, which just having Sato trusting him enough to fall asleep while Krad was in control made him smile internally.

The white clad angel stepped from the balcony and into what he thought would be an empty apartment. It was dark and quiet, just as Satoshi had left it, but a suddenly blur of red caught his eye by the couch. The Niwa Boy!

Krad was surprised to see him there…he didn't appear to have noticed Krad at all…in fact he was fast asleep. What is it with humans and this infatuation with sleep?

Krad stared at him for a long while unsure of what to do…his presence here was a problem, no doubt he'd be curious as to how the sealing of the painting went and for Satoshi's sudden absents at school. He could just kill him now, something he would have gladly done not long ago…but he couldn't bring himself to harm the sleeping child. He could just teleport him home, but flying all night had left him exhausted and unable to even cast the simplest of spells, much less one as complicated as instant travel.

"How long were you planning to keep us waiting…Krad?"

Krad turned around quickly to see Dark leaning up against the wall beside the balcony entrance behind him. Krad didn't even sense his presence in the room as he had entered, nor could he have seen him since he was dressed in black from head to toe.

"Dark." Krad said simply turning to him slightly.

"…" Dark remained silent and unmoving for a while studying the false angel, "The young detective never showed up for school today…and I haven't sensed any trace of you both being in here for at least a day or so…tell me…did you really have that much trouble sealing a simple blank canvas?" He asked suspiciously but low enough not to wake Daisuke.

Krad turned his gaze away from Dark, it wasn't in his nature to lie, and it wasn't like Dark would believe him if he did lie any way. He sighed heavily and turned back to dark crossing his arms.

"Dark, I'm to tired to deal with your interrogation…perhaps another time…" Krad replied and in a flash Dark was in his face and had him backed into a corner with his hands to either side of his head against the solid surface of the wall.

"You'll answer everything…" Dark growled, "Here and now."

Krad found it pointless to try and fight Dark in his condition, but he wasn't willing to give in so easily.

"And who said that I had to abide by your commands, Dark Mousy?" Krad asked narrow eyed.

Dark heaved a heavy sigh, "I thought we were past all of this Krad…what? Don't trust me enough with handling that you couldn't seal the painting?"

Krad quickly looked at him astound, "How did you know?" He demanded.

Dark gave him a smirk, "Did you really think I was that blind?" Dark asked accusingly, "Let's recap on the hints you so graciously left behind my dear angel… one, Satoshi not showing up at school to tell Daisuke that he could sleep better at night knowing that the damn Hikari magic was sealed away, two, you two not have been in here for so long a period of time, and three…" Dark said leaning closer to the surprised angel, "Your greeting to me…told me you were hiding something…" Krad glared at him silently unable to counter Dark's suspicions, "It didn't take long to put two and two together."

Krad growled low at the last comment, "And how did you expect me to greet you Dark? With a warm embrace?" Krad asked sarcastically.

"No, but that would have been nice." Dark replied with a smile, "So tell me…why are you keeping such a valuable secret from me?"

Krad stood silent a moment before finally deciding on the safest response, "…You'll only get in the way Dark…and Satoshi doesn't want Daisuke to get hurt. So…are you satisfied?" Krad asked still glaring at Dark.

Dark returned his glare annoyed, "Wrong answer…" Dark growled and grabbed Krad's wrists and pinned them to the wall over his head, "What happened last night Krad?" Dark asked firmly as Krad struggled in vein against his grasp and then fell still.

"Let…go…of…me…" Krad growled low in a threatening tone.

"Not until you tell me what I need to know." Dark replied putting more pressure on the angel's wrists.

Krad remained silent, he couldn't let Dark get involved, and he'd already set himself to that vow. Dark would just get in the way…and he didn't want him to suffer at the hands of more Hikari magic more then he had already. This was for his own protection he assured himself, and the silence hung heavy in the air for a long time.

"…So…I guess you're not going to tell me huh?" Dark asked bitterly.

Krad remained silent and unmoving still with his head down and eyes closed.

"You know, you're at quite a disadvantage in this position…I could very easily beat the crap out of you right now." Dark threatened.

Krad smirked and chuckled, "You and I both know that that is an empty threat…and I may be exhausted of most of my energy right now…but I could just as easily kick your ass in return."

Dark gave a short laugh and sighed as he released the demon from his grasp, "You're right…I would hurt you even if you were at full strength."

Krad slightly rubbed his wrists trying to return the blood circulation and looked up at Dark, "Your damn emotions will get you killed one day Dark Mousy…"

Dark chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest, "And don't say that you haven't developed any over the years, remember, you're not allowed to lie." Dark said with a smirk.

Krad shot him a glare and moved himself away from the wall so that Dark couldn't pin him down like that again, he hated it when he was powerless and at someone else's mercy. "Why are you here anyway…technically you're breaking an entry."

"And you think this action is new to me? Come on Krad lighten up…Daisuke was worried about Satoshi…and to be honest I was a bit worried about you too…you know, you'd get yourself into a world of trouble without me around!" Dark added with his usual cockiness.

"Hmph, you shouldn't worry about me…I can take care of myself, and Satoshi as well." Krad said annoyed yet a bit flattered at the thief's honest response.

Then while Krad was looking away he felt that he was being embraced warmly from behind. Dark had wrapped his arms around him and was holding him gently.

"I can't help it…" Dark said softly and nuzzled the back of Krad's neck causing the ice demon's body temperature to rise, "You're not as invincible as you think…Krad…"

It took a moment for Krad to recover from the longing desire to be held by Dark made tangible, but quickly returned to his emotionless composure, "We're not just some ordinary mortals Dark…" He said with a false growl of displeasure as Dark refused to let go of him.

"But we are mortal Krad…" Dark said with a sigh, "Age and illness might not kill us…but there are other ways to die…and that is why I worry."

Dark was so close…so comforting, Krad could have easily allowed his legs to give way and fall back into Dark knowing that he would be accepted, but he refused to allow himself the ecstasy of the feeling, he had to push Dark away as much as possible until his mission was complete. But it was so hard to resist as Dark continued to hold him and nuzzle his neck softly…oh why did he have to be cursed with a weakness for this fool!

"You underestimate me then…you think I would be so easy to kill?" Krad said masking his pleasure with icy bitterness.

"No…" Dark said softly and planted a loving kiss on the side of Krad's neck causing the fake angel to nearly lose control, "but you have your limits…there's only so much you can take…"

"S-Same to you." Krad said trying to focus his mind on something other then the beautiful thief, "That's why you have to let me do this on my own…understood?" Krad said slowly regaining himself over the thought of the cursed magic that now ran ramped in the shadows somewhere within the world.

Suddenly, Dark's embrace tightened around the mage's midsection and chest and Dark pressed himself closer to the angel's body, it sent a pleasant wave of warmth and surprise through Krad, "Then promise me this…promise me that if you can't handle it…and you've reached your limits…that you'll let me help you…promise me that, and I'll respect your decision to do this on your own." Dark said trying to hide the deep concern in his voice that almost broke from his control into a shuddered breath.

Krad didn't know what to do…Dark had never acted like this before; no one had acted like this before to him. Krad gently placed his hand on Dark's arm that held tightly around his chest and sighed, "I promise…" Krad said softly and assumingly.

Dark's breath slowly returned to soft and peaceful rhythms instead of shuddered long ones, however his hold on the angel didn't lessen in the least. It was as if, if he let go…Krad would be gone forever. Silence hung in the air for a while again, and Krad didn't mind…he was content to being held by his angelic thief. He could feel Dark's heart beat against him, and feel Dark's head resting peacefully on his back. Bliss. Was there any other word for it?

Suddenly the silence was broken by a soft whisper from the phantom thief, "…Thank you…"

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Air. Breathable air. This was the first time in it's entire existence it filled it's newly formed lungs with air. Soft pale skin, long and straight blue hair, deep golden eyes…an exact replica of the boy in the young Hikari's memory.

The creature stood there admiring it's new form, for it had no true form of it's own, any longer at least, for magic never really has a true and tangible form…yet here it stood. A living breathing essence of magic who can only take shape by absorbing the memories of others. If only the young Hikari had left his hand on the canvas a little while longer, it could have had the ability to take the form of everyone the young detective had ever known! For now, it suited itself to the form of the fallen mage that had kept it locked away within a painting for so long, Zanus, the most powerful of the two mages of Galseran…and yet the weakest… To spare his lover the pain of killing himself to cast the final spell, which would have sealed away the cursed magic once and for all, he gave his own life. Foolish, the demon thought, life should be lived to preserve oneself, not to protect another. But what did they matter to it now…they were dead, gone for all eternity. It would no long have to waste its time to hunt down and kill them itself…no, it had two different creatures to hunt down and destroy. Already the demon was building a consciousness of its own, and already had decided its first tasks in life… Kill the angels who destroyed its original body. They were that reason it no longer had a host, a form of it's own! They were the reason it had to flee from the World of Shadows to preserve its own life after they had destroyed its host! They would pay and pay dearly, for there were far more things worse then death…

Then a smile played of the demon's lips, ah yes…the thought of slow and painful torture…The thought of slowly draining their life's blood from them with its bear hands…yes…yes…truly a pleasurable and pleasant thought. Hmm…perhaps he should spare the one called Krad for now…after all…his host had so graciously given it this form to inhabit for a while, and a few others of which it could grasp before the child had pulled his hand away from the sudden shock of the demon's invisible grasp. Enough for now…but he needed more for his plan to work. The first to suffer should be the darker angel… the one who resemble its original host. Yes, he would lure him in and then crush him slowly, and thanks to the boy, Satoshi's, memories and past experiences with the Phantom Thief…how well he knew his nature and battle tactics from hunting him down for so long in the past. Truly, it would have its revenge…and bath in the suffering of its victims…the ones who dared to kill Verruckt! But first…before he could take out the thief…the detective would have to be put out of the way…but spared from harm, for now. And it had the perfect plan to do it…beware Dark Mousy and Krad Hikari…your days are numbered.

Notes from the Author:

MEOW MEOW! Ello everyone! Hope you guys are liking the third edition to my series! And if a lot of you new comers to my saga are confused, go back and please read my first two stories and I promise that the fog will lift! Okay so now that we've had some fluff and the intentions of the cursed magic sort of reveiled, I hope to keep you all cliff hangered for a little while longer…well at least until chapter three! So for now, Ta-ta! AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS! Good or bad I love hearing from you guys. Knowing that people actually read the stuff that comes out of my head makes me happy! Meow Meow! So signing off for now…

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	3. Tangible Memories

**Chapter 3:**

Satoshi now stood by the couch over Daisuke who was still fast asleep; he was so beautiful lying there…innocent and peaceful. Satoshi wanted nothing more then to spend all day staring at that sweet face…but he couldn't, he knew that as long as whatever escaped from the shadow world still roamed free Daisuke was in danger and before he had said he'd do anything to protect him.

Krad had only returned control over to him an hour or so ago, just as noon or so rolled around. Unfortunately, this marked one less day in which to seek out the cursed magic. He wanted to tell Daisuke everything, he hated to keep secrets from him, and in fact Daisuke was the only person on earth he didn't keep a thing from! And now he was with holding the truth about what had happened when he tried and failed to seal that painting. He wondered if maybe Krad had at least said something to Dark last night so that he and Daisuke wouldn't worry to much…for Krad had told him that he and Dark talked for a bit last night…but was very vague on the details.

Krad he could tell was also exhausted, he had after all been in control nearly all night last night and the night before. Flying around and using up most of his magic to see if he could locate whatever left that painting…but with no luck. However, they could tell that whatever it was never left the city, so it narrowed the search area a bit.

"Soon Daisuke…this will all be over…" Satoshi promised to the sleeping boy. He wanted so badly to stay and maybe even plant a kiss on him in his sleep…but Satoshi wanted Daisuke to be awake if he ever kissed him.

Slowly and hesitantly he left a note on the table beside the couch and left through the door leaving Daisuke alone again to continue the search.

"Hn…" Daisuke moaned as his large crimson eyes opened slowly. It must have been hours after Satoshi left, for the sun was now getting ready to set.

Slowly Daisuke sat himself up and shuck his head to wake himself up fully. Once he was confident that he was no longer asleep he looked at his surroundings, he was still in Satoshi's apartment? Then the memory struck him, after school he'd gone to Satoshi's place to see why he didn't show up for school and to see how sealing the painting went…but Satoshi wasn't home and he sat down on the couch for a moment then…Oh God! He must have fallen asleep while waiting for Satoshi!

Quickly Daisuke jumped to his feet, he wasn't sure what time it was but he was confident he'd missed the train to school, or school all together for that matter. Oh this was a disaster, he didn't even call his mom to tell her where he was! Then a piece of white paper caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. He slowly reached down and picked it up…it was from Satoshi!

_"Dear Daisuke," Daisuke began to read, "I thank you for coming by to check on me last night…but you don't need to worry about me. I won't be at school for a while due to some business that I have to take care of immediately. Not need to worry or be alarmed. Sincerely, Satoshi Hiwatari…and P.S. please try to keep Dark out of trouble in my absents if you know what I mean."_

Business? What in the world could Satoshi be up to? And absents…does this mean he'll be out of town? No, it can't be, he'd never do that without telling Daisuke where he was going…something was wrong.

"Dark, hey Dark!" Daisuke called out.

_Dark should have been asleep…but he wasn't. Daisuke could feel that he was to worry about something to sleep, though it seemed he was exhausted. Dark sighed, 'Yes, Daisuke?'_

"Dark…you heard what Satoshi wrote here right? What in the world is going on?" Daisuke asked worriedly.

_Dark remained silent for a long while._

"Dark answer me please! You know something don't you…please tell me!" Daisuke pleaded.

_Dark remained quiet for a while, but he knew he had to tell Daisuke something to put him mind at ease…though Dark's wasn't either, 'Daisuke…uh…you shouldn't worry. Where ever Satoshi is he'll be fine. Remember he has Krad with him…' Dark said reassuringly._

"No Dark! You're worried about them too…did Satoshi tell you something last night?" Daisuke demanded.

_'No…I didn't talk to Satoshi last night…' Dark began finally deciding that it would be best if he told Daisuke the truth, 'I separated from you for a while last night…as much as my magic would allow me at least…and I spoke with Krad.'_

"And…what did he say…nothings wrong right?" Daisuke asked.

_Dark remained silent again before continuing, 'Not really Dai-chan…' Dark replied, 'Satoshi and Krad couldn't seal the painting…whatever escaped from there must be extremely powerful, because not even Krad's magic could find it. They've gone out again searching for it…'_

"Dark!" Daisuke exclaimed in shock that he wasn't told sooner, "Dark we have to help them!"

_'No Daisuke…' Dark said in a firm tone much to Daisuke's surprise, 'I…I promised Krad we wouldn't interfere unless he asked us to.'_

Daisuke stood there in shock, "Dark, why would you promise such a thing?" Daisuke nearly shouted in his head.

_'…' Dark didn't want to explain it, 'Daisuke…you wouldn't understand…'_

"I wouldn't understand?" Daisuke yelled, he'd never been so mad at Dark before, "Dark, you care about Krad don't you? You want to help him don't you? You don't want to see him get hurt do you?" Daisuke demanded.

_'Of course I care about him, and of course I want to help him, and I never want to see him get hurt! But I promised him I wouldn't interfere!' Dark yelled in a rage._

Daisuke didn't say another word. He grabbed his school bag and ran out the door and down the stairs onto the sidewalk outside and took off towards the direction of his house.

_'Woah! Daisuke where are you going!' Dark yelled as Daisuke continued to run._

"I'm going home to get some supplies!" Daisuke said as he took a sharp turn around the corner.

_'What!' Dark demanded, 'And what may I ask do you plan to do once you've accomplished this?'_

"You may have promised not to help, but I didn't!" Daisuke said and was nearly half the way there now.

_'Daisuke this is crazy! I know you're worried about them and damn it I am too!' Dark yelled, 'But this is not the way to go about it!'_

"Tonight I'm going to steal the 'Ein Fenster Nach die Vergangenheit'!" Daisuke said much to Dark's amazement.

_'Daisuke I already told you I wasn't going to break my promise! Daisuke are you listening to me?' Dark shouted._

"Who said you were going to be the one stealing it? I'll get that painting even if it means I have to steal it myself! They might not have been able to seal the painting but maybe we can! Don't you want to at least try?" Daisuke asked accusingly to Dark for not thinking of this sooner.

_'Daisuke you don't know what you're doing!' Dark yelled._

Daisuke wasn't listening to him any more and just kept running. His mind was made up, and not even Dark was going to change it. And to make sure Dark wasn't going to try a forceful take over, Daisuke quickly locked Dark away in his mind so that he wouldn't get out and stop Daisuke on his mission. He was going to help Satoshi in any way possible, with or without Dark's help.

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Another dead end. After spending nearly all morning in the achieves beneath the state library, searching through the histories of the ancient and prized Hikari art. Satoshi had decided that he should at least know what kind of magic was used to make the painting, for it was the magic itself that escaped…but he could find nothing so far. Searching under the name of the painting itself was proving to be fruitless and a major headache.

"Krad…weren't you around at the time this painting was made?" Satoshi asked becoming desperate for at least some information.

_'Even if I was I wouldn't remember…' Krad replied and then suddenly his tone turned bitter, 'your family didn't exactly let me out of my cage very often…' He growled referring to the fact that he was kept under very close watch back then._

Satoshi remained silent for a while, he was sort of aware of what his ancestors did to Krad back then, he supposed it was the reason for his cruel nature, and even that was slowly changing…at least they had civil conversations now.

_Krad sighed and calmed himself down; it wasn't Satoshi's fault for what happened in the past so he dropped it, 'Why not try searching for the artist instead of the art work?'_

Satoshi looked up, he hadn't thought of that. He'd supposed that it was the artwork itself that had the powers…not the artist. He felt stupid for not thinking of it before…but maybe it was his lack of sleep and food that made his mind so slow and he quickly turned to the huge and ancient books he'd found on the Hikari family and their art work.

"Here it is…Ishoto Hikari," Satoshi said beginning to read, "A prominent painter of the Hikari family during the medieval century. Most of his paintings specialized in…illusions…causing the viewer of each work to be looking at something different then one another…" Satoshi stopped and looked up remembering what the picture looked like, "Wait…is that why…only Daisuke and I saw the clock in the painting?" He asked aloud.

_'Your other classmates saw something different in the painting when they all looked at it…" Krad replied following Satoshi's train of thought._

"But what kind of magic is that?" Satoshi asked reading down more of the pages with only pictures of some of Ishoto Hikari's work.

Each one seemed stranger then the last…none of them seemed to have a certain theme at all…like…

_'Like he couldn't make up his mind on the painting's identity…' Krad said reading Satoshi's mind._

"So…his paintings never truly had an…identity?" Satoshi asked, "Maybe… that's why the world beyond the painting we were pulled into…took our identities instead of ones of it's own. It would explain why Zanus looked like me…and Adel looking like Daisuke…" When Satoshi said Daisuke's name, he began to wonder how the young Niwa was doing and if he really believed the letter he'd written to him before he left this morning. And quickly Krad's voice brought him out of that train of thought.

_'So that's why the world transformed into a shadowed world…based off of Dark and my memories…' Krad said deep in thought._

"Wait…" Satoshi said thinking back to something Zanus had said to him in Galseran…when they had first met.

**

* * *

**

_**"You entered this world through a painting correct?"**_

_**Satoshi stared at the sorcerer confused, "How did you know?"**_

_**"Because...unless someone enters that painting...this world doesn't exist..." He said, "You created this world...your memories...your emotions...your fears, they triggered the defense mechanism of this painting..."**_

_**"Defense mechanism?" Satoshi asked.**_

_**"The painting holds enormous amounts of magic...so powerful that it could cause great danger to the world of the light...your world...however...this energy has been sealed for centuries..." The sorcerer continued. "Let me explain how this works...when one with a vast amount of magic energy comes into contact with the painting, the person's soul and consciousness are transported into a world opposite their own, in this case, everyone you ever knew and every thing you ever loved is changed into the complete opposite of what they once were. Yet the inhabitance of this new world will have a complete memory and history of it's own...for instance, this war between Galseran and Madria that has been raging for two hundred years...has only lasted since you first entered the painting..." He replied, "But you were never suppose to be here..."**_

**_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

"Our memories, emotions, and fears created that world…the magic of the painting had the power to bring them to life and created a world around it and us…but now that the world was sealed and has been destroyed, I doubt it will be able to create another world like that again…" Satoshi said thinking aloud.

_'Then the power of the painting's magic…is to take the memories of others and…make them tangible?' Krad asked trying to make sense of this new information._

Suddenly a thought struck Satoshi, "No…it has the power to take people's memories and give itself…an identity." Satoshi said looking at the countless pictures of the paintings, "Don't you see? None of them have a true identity of their own, and only through other's memories can it have one!"

_'That might be why my spells weren't working…I was tracking for something a signature of some kind…but without an identity it would explain a lot.' Krad replied._

Suddenly Satoshi's hand began to throb, the same hand he had touched the painting with the night before. Then he thought about the strange sting he'd felt from the contact with the surface of the canvas…wait…

"Krad...how far do you think it could have gotten…without an identity to inhabit?" Satoshi asked curiously.

_'Hmph…not far at all I'd think…magic on it's own is unstable without a form to channel through…' The angel replied._

Satoshi thought about it a moment still rubbing his sore hand gently…Then it all made sense, the thing they'd been searching for all this time never left the museum. "Krad, it never left the painting!" Satoshi exclaimed leaping to his feet.

_'What? I sensed no presences there at all.' Krad said confused._

"No! The string, that shock I felt from the canvas when I touched it…I didn't feel it until I thought of Adel and Zanus. It may have escaped the destruction of the world, but it's still within that canvas." Satoshi said closing the book quickly.

_'Then…it reacted to your memory of…wait…' Krad began quickly, 'You mean it can now take on the form of your other self and the Niwa's?'_

"Damn! We have to get back to the museum, how could I have been so stupid? I felt the demon's presence there, why didn't I see this before?" He yelled and quickly ran out of the room.

_'Satoshi, on foot it'll take up at least forty five minutes to get there…let me take over.' Krad said preparing for a take over when he felt Satoshi lock the only way Krad had of getting out of his mind._

"No, it's to risky of someone seeing you…and since Daisuke and Dark don't know about it we won't have to worry about them showing up right? So it's not a necessity to use flight." Satoshi said forwarding the most logical approach.

_Krad didn't argue with him nor did he fight to gain control of his Tamer. But he had a feeling that something wasn't right about this, he felt as though it was of all urgency that they get the that painting fast… before someone else did._

Notes from the Author:

Alrighty then! Daisuke has finally gotten himself the courage to go solo on a theft against Dark's wishes! We've answered the question of what kind of powers this painting had and that Zanus had warned Satoshi of it before! We also now know how dangerous this demon of the painting really is, we can assume that Daisuke's in for it unless Satoshi can get there in time. So will he, or will the red hair phantom thief make it there first? MORE CLIFFY GOODNESS! XD Sorry guys, I have a habit of doing that… **sweat drop** but I'll do my best to update soon! Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments! Wow…I have fans! **cries insanely and deeply touched** Till next time, c-ya later and enjoy the story!


	4. Forgotten Memories

**Chapter 4:**

Dark had tried everything, talking to Daisuke civilly, trying to reason with him, yelling and screaming at him, even trying to perform a forceful take over…none had worked. What Daisuke lacked in physical strength he made up for in sheer will and stubbornness. Daisuke had completely blocked Dark out of his mind; he now stood on the second story window of the museum that housed the cursed blank canvas. Since the incident two days ago, no one was allowed in the museum until the police commander Satoshi himself allowed it, which he wouldn't until that painting was sealed.

_'Daisuke! DAISUKE PLEASE RECONCIDER THIS!' Dark screamed from the prison Daisuke had locked him in located at the back of his mind, 'DAISUKE I'M BEGGING YOU TO STOP!'_

Daisuke wasn't listening, it was as if he'd turned off Dark's volume control and only heard the slight blowing wind gently rustling the leaves of the trees surrounding the building. Daisuke may not be the great phantom thief himself, but he'd trained all his life to be a thief and planned to use every ounce of that training to the fullest tonight.

He quickly and easily disabled the lock on the window and slipped in, but being as it was on the second floor he held onto the window until he'd set his balance up and soundlessly dropped to the floor landing in a crouched position. The museum looked no different then it had the first night he and Dark had infiltrated the place to steal the painting that eventually swallowed them whole.

Daisuke had dressed himself completely in black, much like Dark did whenever he went on a mission, and pulled out a small flashlight to illuminate the darkness. Though Dark never required a flashlight because he could easily see in the dark, Daisuke couldn't see his hand in front of his face without with out one. Slowly Daisuke walked through the museum's marble halls, looking intently for the large room where the painting was held. He could vaguely feel Dark slamming up against the cell in his mind he had put him in, each attempt felt like a slight twinge of pain through Daisuke's head, but he ignored it and focused on the task at hand… find that painting and make off with it as fast as possible. Satoshi alone may not have been able to seal the painting, but Grandpa and Emiko had twice the power of one lone Hikari… and once they had sealed it, as he was confident they could, things would return to normal and he could see Satoshi again.

Suddenly coming out of his deep train of thought a realization struck him… was the air suddenly colder? No, perhaps he was just nervous… this being his first real theft without Dark at his side…he was so nervous but his sense of determination quickly suppressed that. However, he did feel a bit guilty having to seal his best friend and partner away like this…but at the same time he did feel a sense of anger towards the spirit…for making a promise like that to Krad without his consent! The nerve! Did Dark really think Daisuke was just going to sit back and let them handle such a dangerous task on their own? Pride, anger, determination, and a need to prove himself spurred Daisuke on as he quickly dashed through the empty halls of the ancient building. In a way he was kind of excited, the thrill of a theft all by himself! He'd done countless ones with Dark…but never was he in control of the mission or the target. However, Daisuke could have never been prepared for what he was about to encounter.

"Ah, finally…" Daisuke said softly aloud and peered into the room from around the corner. 'Hmm…no cameras in this room…the coast looks clear…I guess when Satoshi planned to seal the painting he didn't want anyone to see and took down all of the security cameras.' He said to himself and cautiously scanned the rest of the room…the canvas…wait… "Where's the canvas?" Daisuke exclaimed.

The room was empty! The canvas gone! Quickly Daisuke ran into the room, the canvas was gone, but where…and who would move it?

"Daisuke…you're early…" Came a familiar voice from behind.

Daisuke was completely shocked and jumped around and came face to face with deep blue eyes, "S-S-Satoshi?" Daisuke asked in shock and confusion. Satoshi's blue eyes gleamed from behind those large and unnecessary spectacles with a certain…mysteriousness that Daisuke had never encountered in the young Hikari's face before.

"Oh forgive me…" Satoshi said with a slight bow never taking his narrowed eyes from Daisuke's as a sinister smile played on his face, "I didn't mean to startled you… Daisuke Niwa…"

Dark from deep inside of Daisuke's mind heard the voice of Satoshi…but something was wrong. A true Hikari had a particular aura and presence…one in which he could not sense at all from the young man standing in front of his host…yet through Daisuke's eyes there he stood! Tall, blue, and creepy…no, this couldn't be Satoshi. Krad had said that Satoshi didn't want to involve Daisuke in this mission any more then Krad wanted to involve Dark. This wasn't right…something was wrong.

_'Daisuke! Daisuke let me out of here! Listen to me Daisuke! DAISUKE!' Dark called out again and again._

Daisuke heard the pleas of the thief little by little but ignored them; he was to surprised any way with Satoshi's sudden appearance.

"I-I didn't see you come in Satoshi-sama…" Daisuke began backing away a bit at the other's sudden smirk that troubled him a bit, "W-W-Why are you here?" He asked stammering, he didn't know why though.

"Same as you… to seal what's left of the canvas I suppose…" The young blunett replied stepping closer to Daisuke as Daisuke stepped farther back approaching a wall.

"But that painting…it's not here…" Daisuke said trying to figure out why his friend was looking at him so strangely.

"No, I suppose it isn't." Satoshi replied never taking his cold blue eyes off of the Niwa's.

"Where is it…?" Daisuke asked as a sudden knot in his stomach began to tighten.

"I put it away…you know for safe keeping by those who would…use it against me… Daisuke Niwa." He replied stepping even closer little by little.

Suddenly Daisuke heard a soft thud as he realized he'd backed himself into a corner, and Satoshi was now right on top of him cutting off any chance of escape…escape? But why would he need to escape from Satoshi?

"Satoshi…um…could you back up a bit…I'm kind of against the wall…" Daisuke said and then suddenly he felt his wrists being grabbed and violently trusted over his head against the wall. "Satoshi what are you doing?" Daisuke nearly screamed as Satoshi pulled his face no less then an inch from his own causing him to blush madly.

"No Daisuke Niwa…I don't think I will…" Satoshi replied as his grin widened, "You know…my whole purpose in life is to capture Dark…and here you stand, so defenseless, so helpless…now that I have you…it's only a matter of time before your screams of pain draw the kaitou to the surface." Satoshi purred wickedly and tightened his grasp on the young Niwa's wrists.

"What? Satoshi-sama!" Daisuke yelled struggling against Satoshi super human strength, "Satoshi what are you doing? Arg! Let me go!"

_'DAISUKE!' Dark screamed, 'Transform into me quickly! DAISUKE!'_

Daisuke clamped his eyes shut tightly and gave into Dark's pleas to be released, but just as Daisuke was about to dissolve the prison holding the Phantom Thief he felt a complete assault on his senses and couldn't think straight! It was as though someone had entered his brain and then he felt as though a jolt of electricity surge through his body and he screamed in pain.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!" The pain was immense; his who body was on fire and freezing at the same time, and his wrists where Satoshi still held onto him were going numb.

Dark was screaming in his head, Daisuke figured that that was the only thing keeping him conscious, he wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

"That's it…scream…feel the pain and fury of a dozen centuries…" Satoshi said with a low and cruel laughter, "Can you not hear him scream Dark Mousy? Or are you too afraid to come out?" He asked manically and sent another powerful jolt through Daisuke's body.

Suddenly a new sensation washed over Daisuke, it felt like someone flooding his brain and unlocking every memory and experience he'd ever had. Someone was feeding on his memories! But that's not all they were after…whatever this was was trying to get at Dark's consciousness, the only thing holding it back was Daisuke's prison that he'd locked the spirit in. This was all Daisuke's fault…if he had listened to Dark this wouldn't be happening! If it took everything he had left in him he was going to protect Dark and suddenly added the last of his energy to the barrier around Dark.

_'DAISUKE WHAT ARE YOU DOING!' Dark screamed, 'DON'T DO THIS! I DON'T CARE IF HE GETS TO ME! IF YOU DON'T DROP THIS BARRIER YOU'LL DIE! DAISUKE!'_

'No…this is my fault…' Daisuke said mentally to his second soul, 'Can you ever…forgive me…' Suddenly Daisuke's voice stopped and he slipped into unconsciousness.

_'Daisuke…DAISUKE!' Dark screamed._

"DAISUKE!" A second voice screamed from the outside world, the real Satoshi.

In a flash, the white winged demon had tackled the false impersonation of his host and Daisuke fell to the ground motionless and lifeless.

The demon in Satoshi's form slid across the marble floor and then quickly righted itself on two legs and glared at the golden haired angel as he quickly looked over to the unconscious red haired boy then quickly turned back to the monster.

"Demon!" Krad roared and clenched his fists as his feline like eyes became pure angered slits, "Taking the form of my host to inflict damage on another child!"

The demon slowly smirked and whipped the small amount of blood from his lip and glared at Krad, "Krad Hikari…Hmph, you have no real care for that boy…your only concern is for the kaitou, which you'll be pleased to know that this boy prevented me from touching him…stubborn fool." The creature replied and changed his form to the longhaired version of Satoshi…the sorcerer Zanus.

_'Damn! He did absorb my memories!' Satoshi growled._

Krad wasn't really paying attention to Satoshi or the demon; his gaze was on the unconscious child… his lover's host. 'What the hell is he doing here…he promised me!' Krad yelled to himself inside trying to suppress the urge to go over there and finish the job by wringing Dark's neck…but one thing didn't sit with him, if Dark were here he would never let anything happen to his host…so why…why was Daisuke lying on the floor instead of Dark?

"You left your guard down!" The false Zanus laughed manically as a large ball of magic shot towards the preoccupied angel.

"Damn!" Krad growled and barely pulled out a feather in time to split the spell in two before it hit, but that was just to close for comfort. He'd have to worry about Dark later and seal this thing now. But just as quickly as the first attack had come, he opened his eyes straight into eyes exactly like his own…only tainted with the curse of inhumanity.

"You let your guard down again…" the false sorcerer replied and suddenly Krad was sent reeling to the other side of the room crashing into the wall with a sharp blow of intensely concentrated magic straight to his stomach.

Krad didn't even have time to scream in pain before he was bombarded with a never-ending supply of demon magic. The pain surging through his body was intense, however accustomed he was to pain he knew all to well that Satoshi was feeling it too…and unfortunately, human body are very susceptible to demon magic.

'SATOSHI! PLEASE HANG ON!' Krad screamed in his head trying to reach him over Satoshi's own screams of pain.

Finally the wave of attacks stopped. Quickly Krad wrapped his wings around himself when the sorcerer seemed to be recharging, Krad knew that a sorcerer of that high a level could return to full strength…or at least enough to finish him off, in a matter of seconds. With a quick burst of energy and magic, Krad's wings snapped open sending a cloud of deadly magic filled feathers and free energy into the false Zanus sending the sorcerer caught off guard flying through the air shrieking and hissing in pain as he crashed to the floor. Then in flash Krad was over him with a sword of ice created in his hand.

"My turn!" He yelled and thrusted the sword deep into the demon's gut with all of his fury and anger surging through the magical blade.

"ACK!" Was all the demon could muster as the deadly blow was given piercing right through him. Angered and shocked golden cat like eyes glared up at Krad before fading into lifelessness, as a sea of red began to flow from the wound.

Krad stood there staring at the thing a moment longer and twisted the sword deep within the demon's flesh to make sure there was no reaction. There was none, and the demon's lifeblood was flowing out of him with a deep crimson glow. This finally satisfied Krad enough, and he yanked the icy blade out of the demon's dead body and it vanished in a swift flash of light.

_'Well…I guess there really wasn't anything to worry about after all, huh Krad?' Satoshi said weakly from within the ice demon's mind._

'Satoshi…are you alright?' Krad asked concerned for the boy's health after that last attack.

_'I'm fine…I just need some rest…' Satoshi said with a sigh. He was still in pain, Krad could tell, but he had already gotten revenge for his host and the Niwa. Wait, the Niwa…_

As Krad's attention turned back to the young man on the floor, a sudden chill of electricity surged up his spine. Someone had grabbed him from behind!

"Are you making letting your guard down a habit…Krad Hikari?" The venomous voice hissed as it continued to hold onto Krad's neck from behind, squeezing him harshly and draining him of the ability to breath, "Did you actually think it would end that easily? Did you actually think that after all of this time…that I wouldn't have my revenge…"

Krad couldn't move, he couldn't breath or think… all he felt was the sharp pains of electricity surging through his body and the rude intrusion of someone penetrating his brain and trying to dig up old memories of the past. His memories…no! No he never wanted to live those again! He'd buried them deep within his mind even from Satoshi, no one should have to see them…he would have preferred to feel eternal physical anguish then relive the pain of those horrid memories… 'GET OUT OF MY HEAD!' He screamed inside.

"You see Krad…I'm not just any ordinary demon…I am a soul embodiment of the most powerful magic in existence!" He hissed still holding onto Krad tight and still paralyzing him, "See I can take on many forms…and as long as I still have an identity to inhabit… a memory to feed on…I am eternal…" A wicked smile now crossed the lips of the second sorcerer of the World of Shadows…Daisuke's shadow, Adel.

Krad was to busy to listen to the demons voice, he was using all of his energy to keep the demon out of his head…out of long forgotten and painful memories that would no doubt satisfy this monster's appetite. 'Get out, get out, GET OUT!' He screamed over and over again. He was fighting to keep them locked away, a battle he was losing fast.

"Hmm…what's wrong Krad? Something in there you don't want me to see?" The demon sorcerer asked with a devilish grin, "You know…now that I can never use Zanus's form again…seeing as you killed it…I have room available for a different form…so who's should I take…perhaps one of your former…more powerful hosts, one of the damned Hikari's that locked you away in an eternal cycle of never ending suffering, or maybe…maybe I'll just take yours?" He chuckled relishing in Krad's pain, he was nearly through to accessing all of Krad's memories, past experiences, every death he'd ever experienced, and each time he was cursed with rebirth. So close…yes…only a moment now as he could feel Krad's cling to consciousness fading, but my…he is a stubborn one he'd give him that. He was going to protect those memories until it killed him. But this only intrigued him more…if his memories were so precious to him that they were worth protecting till the end…then the must be delicious.

"G…Get…out of…my…h-head…" Krad managed to growl squeezing his eyes shut tight.

The demon smiled, he was so strong that he could still talk even after enduring this brutal assault on his senses? My was this becoming far more fun then previously thought, "And why should I? This is far to much enjoyment…" He said with a grin.

"Y-You…monster…" Krad spat and cringed again as another wave of pain washed over him, he couldn't keep this up much longer…but no matter what…no matter what…he cannot touch those memories!

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_Dark had given up trying to wake Daisuke; he was out cold, his energies were now concentrated on breaking out of this prison. With Daisuke out the mental block had weakened, but without Daisuke…so had Dark's strength._

_He had to get out, even though he could only vaguely hear the sounds outside of the demon's taunts… the screams from his other half were screaming loud in his head. Krad was losing and in danger of depleting all of his energy fighting off something, the demon must have gotten inside of his mind like he had Daisuke. Krad's memories…however intriguing that sound to see, must have been extremely secretive if Krad was willing to kill himself to protect them._

_'Damn it…LET ME OUT!' Dark screamed with one final burst of energy and finally the mental barrier was broken, 'Krad hang on!' Dark said and surged forward and began to take over Daisuke's lifeless body. Messy crimson hair grew longer and a deep shade of purple, once red eyes opened to become as violet as wine, and a growl spread across a lightly tanned skinned face. This thing would pay for daring to harm his light!_

Suddenly Krad's energy reserves had failed and he fell limp, he'd used up everything he had left and failed. He was powerless to stop his past from coming back to life.

"What, giving out so soon? Haha, to bad…looks like our game ends early…" The false Adel laughed and slowly began to penetrate Krad's sealed memories, wanting him to feel the slow pain and suffering of three hundred years of memories relived. Krad's groans of despair were like music to its ears.

"LET GO OF HIM!"

Suddenly the demon felt a hard crash into his side as Dark slammed into him and he dropped Krad on the ground struggling to breath.

"How dare you even touch him!" Dark yelled as he stood protectively over the fallen angel.

The odds were no longer in favor of the demon. It took precious energy to battle with the angel for control of his memories…and now with Dark here, he'd have to retreat for now. A shame really, he was having so much fun toying with him, but he would come back later and finish the job. He was confident that at least for now…he'd given Verruckt's murderer a slight taste of the hell it was about to unleash.

Quickly the demon, reminding Dark of his host, glared at him and quickly disappeared and fled. Not a trace of it left, only the Phantom Thief and the demonic angel who had slowly returned to his feet unmoving and silent.

Dark cursed slowly under his breath after he was sure that the demon was gone, angered that he had escaped. He sighed and slowly turned back to the golden haired angel who had his gaze averted to the floor emotionless and pale, not that his skin wasn't always pale…but now more of a ghostly white complexion.

Dark didn't know what to say…obviously the demon had done something to him in his mind…unlocked some memory that must have caused Krad great pain in the past…but he was more worried about how Krad would react to Dark breaking his promise…though he couldn't stop Daisuke from doing it, but the fact still remained…Dark Mousy was here, the place where he'd promised his other half he would go. Slowly Dark walked over to the angel…cautious to make sure he wasn't going to attack…but the angel didn't move.

"Krad…" Dark said with a hint of guilt and sympathy in his voice as he moved his hand over to Krad and slowly placed it on his shoulder.

The silence between the two was long and painful for both. The silence seemed eternal for a while.

"…I asked you…" Krad began as Dark looked down at him still with eyes unmet, "I begged you not…to interfere…" His voice was emotionless and almost silent.

Dark felt a twist in his gut as the pain of guilt washed over him, an emotion he rarely felt.

"And…yet…" Krad continued still unmoving, "Here you stand…" There was a long silence between those words, "So why?" Krad growled, his voice turning for calm to maddened with rage and fury and he quickly turned around and wrapped his hands around Dark's throat surprising the thief with this sudden attack, "WHY ARE YOU HERE?" Krad screamed, his eyes had lost all attempts at humanity and forgiveness. It was almost as if Dark were the Demon himself.

Dark grabbed Krad's wrists in an attempt to throw the demon off of him, but Krad's madness was making it impossible to pull even enough room to breath, "K-K-Kra…d…" Dark managed before the demon put more pressure on him.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE!" Krad raged losing all control, "I TOLD YOU TO STAY OUT OF THIS! YOU NEARLY GOT YOURSELF KILLED!" He screamed.

What? He…He was worried about him? Dark stared at Krad in shock and confusion…was this why Krad didn't want him to interfere?

Suddenly, Krad's eyes began to flicker from blue to gold. Krad clamped his eyes down tight and his grip began to waver, Satoshi was trying to take control. Krad's hands were moved enough so that Dark could slip away and then quickly jumped out of the demonic seraph's path.

"D-Damn…you…" Krad growled harshly as he grabbed his head obviously trying to fight back Satoshi from taking control.

"Krad…Krad please don't do this!" Dark pleaded as the demon turned to glare at him, the only thing holding him back from strangling Dark was Satoshi, "I would never betray your trust…please listen to me and let me explain…"

"NO! I don't want to listen to anything you have to say!" Krad screamed as Satoshi fought back for control harder.

"Krad…" Dark whispered and tried to walk forward towards Krad when the seraph flared his wings as a sign of a warning and he stopped dead.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME! DON'T YOU EVER COME NEAR ME AGAIN!" Krad screamed and with one might flap of his wings the maddened angel was gone.

Dark stood alone in the room and fell to his knees, his body racking with guilt and pain, "Krad…he said in barely a whisper, then turned his head up ward after the already gone fallen angel, "KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD!"

Notes from the Author:

WOW! 9 pages? Damn I'm good! Hehehe! Okay well now guess I've left you another cliffy…and if ya'll have no sympathy for Krad or Dark right now… YER INHUMAN! **Cries** But then again it is all that demon's fault…EEEEEEEEEEEP! Must kill that bastard for turning my babies against each other! Grrrr… Well on a lighter note thank you all so much for your comments and support! **Bows** Meow Meow! Till next chapter!

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	5. You're Not to Blame

**Chapter 5:**

Daisuke had been out for a long time, exhausted physically and mentally. But slowly, crimson eyes opened to meet more darkness…the darkness of his room. He was still dressed in the black clothes he wore to sneak into the museum, lying down in his bed with the covers over him. The clock blinking with red digits said that it was almost five thirty in the morning… but how did he get home? Then a sudden wave of guilt washed over him, the last thing he remembered was Dark in pain calling out for Krad, what had happened? He wasn't sure…but somehow…he felt it was his fault, for Dark had hid himself deep inside of Daisuke's mind with a melancholy aura all around him. There was silence between the two for a long time.

"Dark…I'm sorry…" Daisuke said quietly and pulling himself under the covers more.

Dark didn't respond for a while, he was obviously too upset…yet he didn't move or show any anger or malice towards his host.

_'No Daisuke…don't be…I don't blame you for what happened…" Dark replied after some time._

"But…you were in pain…and…Krad is too…isn't he?" Daisuke asked quietly.

_'…'_

Daisuke curled his knees tight to his body awaiting an answer, which he was sure he already knew the answer too.

_'…It's okay Daisuke…what happened…would have happened whether we were there or not. Krad was bound to return to the museum…and the demon would have…' Suddenly Dark fell silent and Daisuke felt Dark fighting back the painful memory of what the demon had done to the angel, 'He would have…' Dark feel silent against and sighed trying to suppress his emotions, 'If we hadn't been there, things might have turned out must worse for Krad…so don't blame yourself, Daisuke…now get some rest alright…' Dark finished and Daisuke felt him pull farther away._

It didn't matter what Dark said! It was his fault, it was all his fault! He should have listened to Dark and never gone to the museum to steal that painting. And now…Krad must have thought that Dark broke his promise when it was really Daisuke! Daisuke's insides were turning inside out and tears began to swell up in his tightly shut eyes. He felt so terrible, he knew how much Dark cared about Krad…and that finally after three hundred years Dark had finally earned the demon's trust and maybe even something more…and now…now he hated Dark and it was all his fault! A quiet sob escaped Daisuke's throat as he could no longer hold his tears, and the crystal white drops fell from his face in streams.

Suddenly, Daisuke felt a gentle hand whipping away his tears with a loving stroke. He didn't want to open his eyes and see who it was…he was to ashamed to even show his face to the world…he felt like a traitor…a selfish traitor! Then he felt warm arms around him embracing him tightly and with the most sincere comforting love. But it couldn't stop the pain or tears…though it did lighten them a bit.

_'Daisuke…please don't cry…' Dark said softly, gently stroking the young Niwa's hair as Daisuke wrapped his arms tightly around his mid section, being that he was much shorted then Dark, 'Please don't be sad…I don't blame you for any of this…so please don't cry…'_

Daisuke wanted to speak and say something, but his sobs disabled his voice and he clung tighter to Dark.

_'Daisuke…you were just following what you thought was right…and had we not been there…Krad might not have been so lucky as to walk away with his life…so please…don't blame yourself for something that isn't your fault.' Dark said gently as Daisuke slowly began to calm down in the Phantom Thief's embrace. 'Your intentions were good Daisuke…it just goes to show that you have a heart of gold…something not many people in this world have…so please…please don't cry anymore…it hurts me to see you sad.'_

Daisuke just wanted to cry harder. How could Dark be so nice to him, after what he'd done? He didn't deserve it…he didn't deserve any of it! Why…why was Dark being…so nice…

Dark didn't speak again, he only continued to hold and comfort Daisuke with softly stroking his red hair and embracing him tightly. Soon the young boy's sobs slowly ceased and his tears had stopped falling, and now peacefully laid under his blankets, safe and warm in his home, while Dark held Daisuke's consciousness as gently as possible, continuing to comfort him even in his sleep.

_'…Sleep well Daisuke…and know that I'll always protect and love you…no matter what…you are…my Daisuke…'_

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The blonde angel had flown for a long time after he had left Dark at the museum…but soon he could no longer as a painful past over took him and he had barely enough strength to land on the balcony of Satoshi's apartment. He slowly stumbled inside and fell to his knees holding his head panting hard unable to stop the terrible memories from resurfacing.

"S-Stop it…" Krad hissed as the horrid nightmare of each death and rebirth played again and again in his head. Being born into a host more vicious then the last, "Stop it…leave me alone…" He demanded over and over again as every muscle in his body racked in the memory of each vicious cycle.

Memories of when he had first taken life, and then the pain of being tortured into submission by the first head of the Hikari household until he accepted his role in life as a monster who's soul purpose was to kill and destroy without cause or question. Of dying and then being brought back without a body to call his own or a life in which he himself would have the will to control…the countless blood of other stained on his hand. The horrible things that family made him do…labeling him a curse, or a slave to be used at their disposal. He begged over and over again that it would stop…he felt knots in his stomach, as the memories flooded to him all at once like a tidal wave of monstrous force.

The memory of when he had given up trying to be freed of the cruel cycle that he now was eternally bound to. When did he ever give them permission to use him like a puppet then throw his life away only to be brought back for the same torment all over again? No…he'd asked that question before, and only received more torment and pain…they were the Hikari's…his creators…they didn't need a reason, that was the answer. Finally he'd just given into them, he had come to the realization that he was nothing more then a puppet…a murderous monstrous puppet. A demon. When he had finally cast aside what little humanity he had left and forced himself to enjoy the true nature of a demon…killing with pleasure, developing a lust for blood and power, manipulation of his hosts, and all for what? So he could cope with his existence and not be hurt by it, for a demon felt no feelings or pain…And then finally, after being the demonic nightmare for so long…he'd finally felt safe enough to allow himself the consciousness of humanity. He had locked those memories away for good…but now; he was forced to relive them all at once, it was too much! And on top of that…Dark was there…he was almost hurt…hurt by more damn Hikari magic…hurt by the same magic that had been used to torment him for so long, and then he'd pushed him away after he tried to save his life…why was this happening! Guilt, pain, anguish, exhaustion, sorrow, and torment washed over him all at once and he collapsed to the ground still holding his head with tightly shut eyes. "Stop…make it stop…" He repeated over and over again.

Satoshi was at a loss at what to do…he had never even known about this, any of this! This was the first time he'd seen Krad's memories, and all of them sickened and scared him. He had always hated his bloodline…but looking at everything they had done and were capable of…he hated them even more. In a way this was the first time he'd felt any type of sympathy or remorse for the demon, the demon that plagued his nightmares and he'd always thought of as a curse. He felt so alone and cut off from Krad…now that they were starting to trust and live with each other's existence civilly…seeing this, experiencing these well-kept secrets for the first time…was like he'd never even known the demon before. He wondered what he could do…he'd never been good at comforting, and the thought of comforting Krad still sat with him as improbable…but would Krad except him again? He now knew how much Krad hated the Hikari's…and he had good reason too…Satoshi was a Hikari…so, how would Krad react to him now that these old feelings and memories were forcefully resurfaced? Krad had always been so strong, so seeing him like this was both shocking and painful to him.

_'K…Krad…' Satoshi said trying to reach out with uncertainty to the demon, unsure of what his reaction would be._

"Go away…" Krad growled distancing himself for the young man, "Leave me…alone…just leave me alone!" He yelled.

Satoshi stopped a moment trying to search himself to find the best why to help Krad without hurting him farther or angering him. In the past few months his fear of Krad had dwindled greatly…but now, he felt more fear towards him then ever. Krad had always been unpredictable…but seeing him like this made him even more unstable. Once again Satoshi tried to reach out for Krad, his aura cold as ice and his body shaking uncontrollably with fear and anger as the angel wrapped his arms tightly around himself trying to suppress his tremors.

Satoshi reached out and slowly put his hand on Krad's shoulder from within, putting only the slightest amount of pressure on it just to let Krad know he was there and with no intention to hurt him.

Krad did notice the hand but didn't fight back, he couldn't. He was to exhaust and he kept trying to remind himself that this was Satoshi…not those other masters and tamers that had hurt him so badly. Satoshi was the only Hikari that he regretted hurting, because at least Satoshi had come to accept him as not a demonic puppet…but almost…as an equal. He didn't order him to kill like the others, he wasn't his slave…no…this was Satoshi…Satoshi Hikari…and the most human of his tamers…even now, Satoshi was kind enough to suppress his fear of him and try to reach out to him with no malice.

"W-Why…" Krad asked slowly opening his eyes and slowly regaining control of his breathing.

_'…Because you are me…and I am you…' Satoshi replied calmly still with his hand on Krad's shoulder, now squeezing it a bit more as proof that his response was sincere._

"…" Silence reined for a while before Krad spoke again, "You saw them…didn't you…" The tired angel asked lying motionless on the ground.

_'…Memories…are just that Krad…memories…' Satoshi said after a moment, 'The past can't hurt you…because the past is no longer tangible…' He said and grabbed Krad's shoulder a bit tighter trying to choose the right words, 'You…nor I…can change what happened…but…I can promise you…' Satoshi said and gently smiled slightly, 'I can promise you…that as long as you are with me…that won't ever happen again…'_

Krad lay there silent for a long time as Satoshi knelt down beside him still with his hand on his shoulder. Slowly Krad felt his heartbeat returning to slowly even rhythms, and his body now only slightly shuck every now and then. The flow of his memories had slowed and now only vaguely lingered in his mind. The barricade that once held those memories in place was slowly rebuilding itself around them…but how; whose will was rebuilding it? It was Satoshi, he was channeling some of his warm energy into Krad easing the demon's pain a bit and pushing back the memories from his mind. Krad's wings hung lifeless at his back then slowly disintegrated into a mass of vanishing feathers. A beautiful cloud of cool white feathers that softly floated through the air then vanished into nothing.

Suddenly Satoshi felt a warm hand gently rest upon his own, however slight the contact was…at least it proved that Krad wasn't going to hurt him, and had accepted his presence. For some reason…Satoshi felt a warm sense of relief inside, like a soft glow that eased his mind and body greatly. For once he was able to save his inner demon, he for once was able to protect the very creature that had protected him his whole life…and a great weight was lifted from his chest.

"…Thank you…Satoshi-sama…"

Satoshi's eyes widened, and then softened. This was the first time Krad had ever thanked him for anything, and that once sudden feeling of distance between the two faded away as gently as the feathers had. The two stayed like that for some time until the exhausted angel drifted off to sleep and slowly returned to the back of Satoshi's mind to rest and replenish his depleted strength and soul.

Satoshi now sat on the floor of his dark and lonely apartment, feeling somewhat reviled and as if a rift in his bond with the demon had been filled. Satoshi too was exhausted and didn't have any strength or energy to move. His exhaustion gave in and he fell forward onto the ground and his heavy eyelids closed but he couldn't sleep just yet…He still wondered if Daisuke was alright…it didn't matter to him if Daisuke had been at the museum against his wishes…he just wanted him to be alive and well. And he knew that Dark had promised Krad to stay out of this…and he knew that seeing Dark there had both angered and scared Krad…not to mention the sense of betrayal that the angel felt towards the thief. It had hurt Krad more then Dark could ever know…what would Krad do if he saw Dark again? What did having these thoughts matter now…all he wanted to do was fall asleep knowing that he had gained his inner demon's…no…his inner angel's trust…he slept better knowing that finally, he was able to save Krad from the demons of his past…though he knew that it would take a lot more time to heal before Krad fully recovered from this experience…for now there was an inner peace between the two. For now…that's all that mattered to him…

_"You're…welcome…Krad…sama…"_

Notes from the Author:

WOW! OMG! 2 chapters uploaded in one day! **Gasps** Woah! And such a sad and touching chapter too! **Cries** I admit, I cried as I wrote this…sniffles sniffles Well you all asked and I delivered, twice in one day as a matter of fact! Meow Meow! And it's because I love you all so much for your wonderful comments and support! So to all of my readers and commenters…bow bow bow THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You guys are awesome! And I apologize if this chapter makes you all cry as much as I did…cause I'm running out of Kleenex…sniffles And to the many of you who want to lynch me for leaving cliffhangers…um…Opps! **Sweat drop** Guess I did it again huh? EEEEEEEEEEEP!! Don't hurt me! **Runs away**

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	6. The Unsuspecting Dark

**Chapter 6:**

Daisuke had slept for most of the day, he'd missed school again but Emiko didn't bother him…When she went to wake him up for school that morning just as Daisuke had fallen asleep, Dark projected himself out of Daisuke as a transparent spirit to tell her that Daisuke wasn't feeling well and not to wake him. Emiko had always loved the phantom thief and trusted him; he was after all he son's guardian. She had accepted but reminded Dark the regardless, a warning letter had already been sent that he was to steal another sculpture tonight at midnight. Dark had agreed and assured Emiko that Daisuke would rest softly the entire mission that night, and since it was a Hikari work…he was hoping to see Krad. As Emiko had left Dark turned to Daisuke and realized that he was shivering and shaking in his sleep, the warmth around his consciousness had left him, but once Dark had returned to Daisuke and held him again…he peacefully slept through the rest of the morning.

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"Hmm…so Dark plans to steal again tonight? Arg this guy is getting so annoying!" Detective Saehara growled and slammed the letter on his desk, "He's making this department look like a laughing stock!"

Suddenly the phone on his desk rang, and he angrily picked it up.

"What?" He growled, then quickly snapped to attention, "Ah, s-s-sir! Mr. Hiwatari what can I do for you sir?" He stammered.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting something detective?" Asked the cool and collective voice of Police commissioner Hiwatari.

"No-No sir! Nothing's to important to speak with you sir…um…what can I do for you sir?" Detective Saehara asked nervously.

"Well I'm sure you've received the latest warning from Dark, correct detective?" He asked calmly.

"Yes sir…" Detective Saehara growled crushing the letter in his hand, "And I can promise you he won't get away this time!"

"Good, glad to hear that…but there's been a change of plans." Hiwatari said with a grin.

"Huh? Change of plans sir?" Detective Saehara asked confused.

"Yes…my son, Satoshi…I'd like to have your assurance that he'll stay out of tonight's mission, alright?" He asked.

"Yes sir…but…but if you don't mind my asking…why?" Detective Saehara asked confused and dumbfounded.

"Oh, well I have other plans for our young detective tonight…so don't let him know of the letter alright?" Mr. Hiwatari said still with a calm grin.

"Uh-huh…yes sir…I'll make sure he doesn't know…till then sir…" He replied and slowly hung up the phone. "…I don't know what could be more important then catching Dark…" Detective Saehara said with a sigh, "But orders are orders…"

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A wicked grin spread across the face of demon on the other line reverting from the form of Satoshi's stepfather, to the sorcerer Adel. "Yes…we wouldn't want him and his…angel interfering with what I have in store for the Phantom Thief…" He said with a smile, "I'm sure the dear Hikari Guardian could use a day off…but not to worry…" He said to himself and long red hair melted away to long blonde hair as deep violet eyes inflamed and gave way to golden feline like eyes of a demon, black robes melted away and were replaced by a sea of white, "Because he'll still make his guest appearance…"

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Krad had awoken before Satoshi had, being an eternal being; he was able to restore his health and strength much faster then his human host. Seeing that Satoshi was still fast asleep, Krad felt it best not to disturb him…they both had a pretty stressing night.

Memories of that night played through his head, how his mind was invaded and how much more pain he felt from the memories then the physical pain. But what really stuck out in his mind was Satoshi…and how kind he'd been…he was probably the only reason he survived the night. The thought of Satoshi's first ever show of kindness to the demon calmed him greatly and he took a deep breath in relief and serenity. But then a darker thought dawned on him…Dark…

He wanted nothing more then to believe that he wasn't there last night, there had to be some explanation. But he knew that he was…he had been there and Krad had tried to kill him after Dark had saved his life. He may have been too late to stop the invasion of his mind…but at least he'd stopped the demon from killing him. And what had he done to thank the thief? He tried to strangle him! Krad suddenly felt a ting of guilt twist within his gut, he'd hurt his Dark…he hurt him with the intent to kill him…back then he would have been disappointed he didn't, but now he felt like he was the one who betrayed Dark!

Then he remembered what Satoshi had said last night… _'You nor I can change the past…'_ In other words…what was done was done.

Maybe he should go see Dark while Satoshi was asleep? No, it was daylight…and a forceful take over might wake his host, and he looked so peaceful sleeping there, he decided he would wait for night fall, then ask Satoshi's permission to go. The thought settled well with him, though he wished he didn't have to spend another second away from Dark…but…he would wait. To a demon, time really didn't matter to him, only priority. And right now, Satoshi was the priority. So he would wait. Gently he wrapped his soft white wings around Satoshi, cradling him protectively and held his close…his host…his Satoshi…

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At midnight that night, Dark was to steal the 'Seraph's Pinion', an ancient Hikari sculpture of an angelic maiden clasping a golden feather to he chest in a silent prayer. A truly breath taking and priceless piece but held a tremendous amount of magic. All Hikari works were cursed with this magic, and the only artwork worthy enough for the Phantom Thief to steal.

It was already six o'clock and the police had been securing the museum since they'd first received the letter earlier that morning. They were all in a buzz due to the absents of their gifted young commander, but orders were orders, they'd have to go on without him. The reporters had also started arriving in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Phantom Thief and to start interviews with the police as to what their latest methods of capturing Dark were. The same old thing every time, when he shows his face, over take him with numbers and set up every alarm system available, though Dark escaped them every time.

"Now remember Dark," Emiko began as Dark pulled on his black trench coat, " it's up to you to do as much of this as possible on your own. If Daisuke isn't feeling well then try to make this as quick as possible for his sake okay? So keep the taunting to a minimum." Emiko said worriedly about her son; she hadn't talked to him at all since yesterday before he went to school.

"Yes alright Emiko-sama…" Dark replied again as he stretched out his jet-black wings slowly, "I promise to keep Daisuke safe…" Not that he didn't try to every time, but Daisuke was still out cold and Dark still hadn't told Emiko the truth as to what had happened to him yesterday or the night before. Then with a graceful leap from the balcony he took off into the darkening sky.

He really could care less about the sculpture or taunting the police tonight, all he wanted to do was see Krad. He had to tell him the truth about what had happened last night and hope that he would forgive him…but what worried him the most was the look in Krad's eyes before he took off into the night last night…the same eyes that he wore for so many years before he had grown a human conscience, the same eyes he wore when he killed Verruckt. He wasn't sure if tonight, he would be seeing the demon Krad, or the one he had grown to love so much. It scared him to think that his angel might not accept him again…and that fear was swelling up in his gut tightly. He begged whatever god was out there to let him see his angel and not his devil tonight, and that he would forgive him.

Violet eyes opened wearily as he landed on a rooftop over looking the busy commotion at the museum bellow. He had spent all night awake last night comforting Daisuke, and did so even now. If Krad showed up now as a demon, he stood no chance, he was so tired. He still had some time to kill before his grand entrance, his only reason for going out so early was to check out the security systems and police strategies…but they were the same thing every time, and he always escaped them. Slowly he sat down and leaned back against a high part of the roof and closed his eyes. Daisuke was still there asleep, and Dark was still using his energy to comfort and sooth him gently. He hoped that when Daisuke did wake up he would feel better; he hated to see his host in such a state. Slowly the Phantom Thief's exhaustion gave in and he fell asleep waiting for the time when he would have to awake to steal yet another meaningless piece of art.

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"Hn…" Satoshi groaned as a pair of gorgeous blue eyes opened slightly, Satoshi hadn't had a descent night sleep in three days, "Wha…what time is in…" He moaned and attempted to lift his sore body off the ground with his aching muscles screaming in pain at spending so long in one position on the floor.

Slowly though after some time, Satoshi had come to his feet and looked over at the clock on the table, 'Hn…eleven huh?' Satoshi thought and sighed. A long sleep but it was much needed.

Then Satoshi turned inward, he couldn't remember a time when he had slept for so long so…peacefully. Normally he would have been to afraid to fall asleep in the first place, because he'd have nightmares every night of a white winged demon taking control of his body…but last night, he didn't dream…he only felt, the warm presence of snow colored feathers wrapped gently around him. A feeling he had craved for far to long, warmth, peace, and protection.

"Krad…are you awake?" Satoshi asked carefully.

_'…Yes Sato-kun…more or less…' The angel replied calmly._

Satoshi was for once happy to feel his presence, "How are you feeling?" He asked gently.

_'…Better…thanks to you…Satoshi…' Krad replied lazily with his eyes closed._

Satoshi smiled inwardly and outward. He now had hope that Krad had come to terms with last night's events and maybe even…forgiven Daisuke and Dark.

"Are you…still angry with Dark…?" Satoshi asked cautiously.

_'…' Krad was silent for a while seeming to be deep in thought, '…what happened last night…happened last night…and…I was foolish to think that Dark wouldn't be pulled into this one way or another…' Krad replied slowly, 'No one was at fault for what happened last night except myself…because it was I who…pushed Dark away instead of trying to understand…'_

Satoshi looked sadly at his other half, "No Krad…it's not your fault…nothing is your fault. Taking or giving blame at this point is meaningless. So please don't think of any of this as your fault…or Dark's…" Satoshi said with wisdom far beyond his years. He'd grow up so much…he had no childhood really, it was almost as if he were born and then skipped his childhood and teenage years and blossomed into a mature young adult. And Krad felt guilty for it, but he was right…blame never solved anything.

_'Satoshi…may I ask you something…' Krad asked quietly._

"Hm? Of course…" Satoshi replied.

_'If…if you had the choice…on whether or not to be born a…a Hikari…or not…knowing the terrible things accompanied with the title of that name…' Krad asked in almost a whisper, 'Would you have been born different?'_

The question almost stunned Satoshi, all his life he'd hated everything about the Hikari's and all they stood for…but had he not been a Hikari…he most likely would never had seen or experienced as much pain and torment as he had his entire life…but, then he would have never met Dark, Daisuke, or…Krad…Every night since he was a child he'd asked God why he'd cursed him with such a name and an existence, but now…after sixteen years…he didn't mind it any more…he and Krad now existed as one, and he'd even grow to sort of…like Dark. But Daisuke…he was glad most of all that he had Daisuke…thanks to this existence.

"No Krad…" Satoshi said with a slight smile, "I was born a Hikari for a reason…and I will live and die as one as well. No…I don't think I could have accepted any other life but this one. Does that answer your question?" Satoshi asked sincerely.

_Krad kept a smile to himself and nodded, 'Do you think…we could possibly go to see Dark and Daisuke now? I know you're worried about them…' Krad replied, as Satoshi knew he was just as worried about them as well._

"Yeah, we can go see them now. It's late, but I don't think Emiko-sama would mind very much." Satoshi replied and stretched lazily feeling as his aching muscles began to feel a bit better.

Satoshi was still fully clothed and walked over to the door opening it.

"Huh?" He exclaimed surprised to find two armed officers at his door.

"Pardon us sir, but we can't allow you to leave the premises." One of them said as the two blocked his way out.

"What?" Satoshi asked confused.

"By orders of the Police Commissioner Hiwatari, we are here to prevent you from leaving this area and stop any from entering without further notice." The other officer replied.

"You must be joking, why would my father request such a thing?" Satoshi demanded.

"I'm sorry sir, but we are prohibited to disclose any more information." The first officer said firmly.

_'Grrr…turn into me and I'll knock both of their heads off…' Krad growled as Satoshi held him back._

"No…it's not worth it…" He muttered low to his angel, "Fine then…" Satoshi said to the two and walked back inside as the two officers shut and locked the door from the outside.

"Great…now I'm under house arrest…what the hell is going on?" Satoshi demanded, "And why would 'he' order such a thing…"

_'This doesn't make sense…' Krad growled harshly._

A thought struck Satoshi and he ran over to the television and flipped it on.

"We're now only moment's away from the time when Phantom Thief Dark is said strike this museum in an attempt to steal the legendary 'Seraph Pinion' sculpture. Police have reported no sign of the thief yet…" The reporter continued but Satoshi's attentions were elsewhere.

"Dark plans to steal the 'Seraph Pinion'!" Satoshi exclaimed, "Why wasn't I told of this?"

_'You're the commander in charge of all Dark cases…so why…' Krad said just as confused, 'Wait…you don't think that this is the reason you're under house arrest do you?'_

"What? No that wouldn't make sense…Hiwatari knows he can't catch Dark without me…so why would he make such an order?" Satoshi asked bewildered.

_'Unless…it wasn't him who made the call…' Krad said as his wings bristled behind him._

"The demon…" Satoshi gasped, that's right…the demon had stolen some of Krad's and his memories…and his stepfather was defiantly a valuable identity to steal, "But why would he want to keep us away from Dark?" Satoshi asked.

_'HE'S PLANNING TO HURT DARK!'_

Notes from the Author:

Okay! Chapter 6 is completed and up! YAY! Okay, now it's time to see what the demon has in store for Dark and Daisuke who are totally clueless at this point…wow that's a first…sweat drop Okay, I'm gonna get started on Chapter 7 now, I'm in such a writing mood this morning and the ideas just keep coming! So thank you for reading and commenting, hope I didn't leave you hanging too much! **sweat drop** AHHHHHHHHHHHH! DON'T HURT ME!! **runs away**

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	7. Forgive Me

**Chapter 7:**

Finally it was time. Dark's eyes opened sleepily as the watch he had set to wake him at exactly 11:59 p.m. had awoken him. He turned it off and sighed, not even five hours of sleep was still insufficient to perform his task at one hundred percent, but it would have to do.

Dark decided that he didn't want to be seen by anyone, because normally he'd fly around the target area a bit to make sure he was spotted as he dove downward and gracefully made a bunch of fools out of the police. Tonight though he'd only use a small amount of magic to keep anyone but a certain magical entity from entering and use one of Daisuke's sleeping grenades to take care of anyone who might be inside, which he doubted there would be, for the police had made a habit of waiting for Dark outside as he made his escape, and letting their young commander deal with Dark on the inside alone.

In the darkest of night he flapped his black wings and swiftly glided over to the roof of the museum, it was a very new building and the roof wouldn't have creaked to give him away so he took advantage of this time to cast the barrier spell around the entrances and exits. He brought forth a feather and chanted the spell carefully, satisfied that it was finished and would hold; he dropped in through a skylight window after gently opening it and disabling the security lasers.

The interior of the museum was nice, white marble floors and walls, pristine glass windows, and a high ceiling around the main room that Dark had just now entered. There was more light in this museum then in the other's with darker interiors, for what little moon light came through bounced off the walls creating a reflecting affect all around the area. And in the center of the room in a glass case sat the 'Seraph Pinion'. The statue was about the size of one of Daisuke's math textbooks, but its small size didn't hinder its absolute beauty. But that didn't seem to draw Dark's attention enough to admire it; he was busy looking around for the true Seraph that he had come to see. Krad.

Dark made sure to approach the glass case cautiously incase there were any alarm systems that he neglected to disable. Then suddenly he stopped and stared down at the floor. He could only vaguely make out his own winged shadow from another, one standing still behind him from up on one of the rafters he guessed as it was smaller then his own, but just as dark.

"So…you finally decided to show your face…Dark Mousy…" The deep voice echoed darkly throughout the room.

Dark stood still a moment and slowly turned to the winged figure. Long blonde hair flowed behind the creature as a pair of large white wings held slightly folded behind his back. If ever there was a true masterpiece of art worthy enough for him to steal, Dark thought, it was Krad. "You sound disappointed to see me…" Dark replied looking at the demonic angel with eyes of sadness and longing.

The other angel gracefully leapt from his high vantage point and landed silently on the ground with easy and stared at Dark harshly for some time, "I honestly didn't think you'd have the guts to show." He replied bitterly.

"Well, you know me…I make a promise…I have to keep it…" Dark said with a hint of guilt and worry in his voice as he slightly cocked a smile.

"Yeah…I know…" Krad replied with a low hiss and glared at the thief, "I know just how much promises mean to you…Dark Mousy…" He growled as his wings slightly fanned before folding completely behind him.

"Krad…" Dark began trying to find the right words, "Krad I would never betray your trust…what happened last night…it was a mistake…Daisuke was just worry about Satoshi and wanted to help…and I admit…" Dark said reaching other and holding his other arm looking down at the ground biting his lower lip, "I was too…"

Krad stood motionless and silent just glaring at the thief with evil and fierce eyes.

"Daisuke's really beating himself up over this, Krad. And I don't want us to be enemies again…please, you can understand can't you?" Dark asked almost like a plea, as he looked into the face of his other half who stood only a few feet away.

"…" Krad's hard face finally softened into a warm smile, "…Yes Dark…I understand…" He replied and Dark's heart leapt forward as he took a step towards the seraph, "I understand…that you broke your promise…" Krad suddenly spat and his glare returned and a ball of energy formed in his hand, "And now, I'm going to break you!" He yelled and released the huge amount of freezing cold energy at Dark.

Dark was shocked by the sudden attack and narrowly dodged to the side, as the floor he once stood upon became a frozen mass of debris. His worst fear had come true…he'd lost his seraph forever…Krad would rather kill him then forgive him. Dark's heart was slowly tearing itself to pieces as Krad prepared for another attack. He would have gladly accepted death at his hands…he would want to die no other way then with Krad…but he was still bound to Daisuke, and he promised Emiko he'd protect him…he promised Daisuke that he would protect him. But Krad…he couldn't hurt Krad, not anymore then he already had. Perhaps he should retreat, but that thought was quickly cut off as Krad had unleashed a spell that sealed the two in the room freezing all of the exits shut…there was now no way of escape!

"Krad…" Just as Dark began to try and plead with the angel again, he turned to find Krad's hand no less then and inch from his face.

"This may hurt a bit…" Krad said and a sudden blast of energy burst from his hand hitting Dark square in the face sending him flying into the ground in pain, "Told you so" The demon replied with a smile and slowly began to walk over to the motionless Dark. "You see Dark, what happens when you break your promises...do you know how badly you've betrayed me?" He asked and stopped in front of Dark and raised his hand again, "And now…you'll pay for it with your life…" He hissed. Then suddenly, he felt a sharp infliction of pain to his chest and was forced backwards as if a sharp stake had been driven through him.

Dark had his hand up to Krad as smoke slowly came off of it sending small sparks of magic into the air, "Fine then…" Dark panted and his eyes narrowed and warm blood ran down his face from a large cut over his right eye, "But I'm not going to take this sitting down…" He growled and slowly got to his feet and raised his hand again defensively.

"Hahaha," Krad slowly chuckled and grinned, "I'd expect it no other way…Dark Mousy…" Krad hissed and sent a bombardment of feathers into Dark, freezing all it touched as Dark took to the air.

Dark flew higher up to the ceiling before plummeting back down to the ground and sent a visage of his own magic at the white winged devil. Light and dark magic collided in mid air and sent an explosion through the room, Dark and Krad were matched dead even…but to Dark something was wrong, other then the knowledge that he was fighting Krad, but he didn't have time to ponder it as a wave of white feathers shot through the thick smoke in an attempt to spear him. He quickly took to evasive maneuvers and was able to dodge each one, but they seemed never ending as another, and another, and another wave was sent after him! 'Damn…he's going all out…' Dark thought as he tried to gain some speed to distance himself between him and the sea of feathers chasing after him.

What was Krad thinking? Sure kill Dark, but using up his energy and keeping up a pace like this would kill Satoshi. Was he not thinking about his host? No, Krad would never do this, he had changed enough now that killing Dark would be his goal…but he wouldn't dare to kill Satoshi in the process. And Dark was fading fast, without Daisuke to draw on and the fact that a lack of rest left his energy reserves pretty much empty, he couldn't last much longer. What would he do? He couldn't kill Krad, but it seemed that if he didn't, Daisuke and he would both perish! And now there was Satoshi to think about, Krad had completely lost it and was willing to drain Satoshi completely if he already hadn't.

After dodging the last of the feathers, a pair of large white wings cut through the smoke and a blast of ice was sent forth from Krad's hands as he came into view. Dark was shocked at Krad's sudden direct approach and barely reacted fast enough to prevent his wings from being frozen.

"Krad what are you doing?" Dark demanded, "Are you trying to kill Satoshi?"

"Hmph, I have no care for that child…he is nothing but a vessel to inhabit for me…" Krad replied with a venomous grin and flapped his wings slightly, dispelling the smoke that surrounded him.

What? Dark couldn't believe what he was hearing! Sure Krad had said something similar to this in the past…but now…no he would never say something like this. "Krad have you gone mad?" Dark yelled in rage and confusion.

Krad chuckled and glared up at the thief with a devilish intent in his eyes, "How kind of you to notice…" He replied and in one swift motion shot forward and grabbed Dark from behind in a tight embrace holding his wings in place, Dark was going to fall!

Dark shut his eyes tight expecting to hit the ground hard and that be the end of it…but it never came…Krad was still holding onto him. "Krad!" Dark exclaimed in surprise and fear.

Krad was smiling at the thief from above with a look of victory and power on his face as Dark meaninglessly struggled. "You know…I believe you did this to me once before…" Krad said in a sweetly tainted voice as Dark stopped struggling, to tired to fight back, "Yes, I remember…you held me just like this after we returned to this world…I gave in then…and let you have your way with me…but I wonder…would you have been so willing to give in…Dark?" Krad asked in almost a purr as he nuzzled the back of Dark's neck slightly.

Dark's eyes shot open, normally he would have enjoyed this…but something was screaming inside that this was all wrong and he had to get away. Why would Krad with the soul intent to kill him even be thinking about something like _that_ right now? "Let…me go…Krad!" Dark begged with a touch of fear and panic in his voice as the demon held him tighter making it so much harder to breath.

"Oh I see…so you wouldn't have given in?" Krad asked with a low and taunting chuckle, "Well then…if you're not going to give in…I guess…" He replied and began to squeezed Dark so tight that the thief would have screamed had he enough air in his lungs, "I'll just have to end this little relationship…farewell, my sweet kaitou… Dark Mousy…" Krad hissed, and confident that there was no way Dark even had a chance to take a final breath before he crashed to the hard ground, he let him go and he fell like a rock.

Dark's mind went blank for a moment and he felt so tired…Kaitou? The word played over and over again in Dark's mind as he fell; Krad had never called him that before…kaitou…no, the only person that had ever called him that was…

_'DARK! SNAP OUT OF IT! DAAAAAARK!'_

Daisuke! Dark's lungs suddenly filled with air, and instead of snapping open his wings to try and soften an already deadly collision with the ground, he cried out a levitation spell and prayed it wasn't to late to stop his fatal decent.

The demonic angel smiled, unable to see the bloody carnage that was once his former embodiment's light half. The smoke filled air left the scene to his imagination, and he shivered with pleasure at the thought of the great Phantom Thief's blood covering the white floor with the perfect shade of crimson. Now that would have been a true artistic masterpiece, he thought to himself and slowly descended to the floor. He could feel the flow of demonic magic through his veins, making his already powerful Hikari magic invincible, and it felt good. Touching down lightly to the ground, the smoke surrounding him disappeared and he looked towards the ground waiting to see a stain of red blood on the floor…but saw nothing except an ocean of white!

"Looking for me?" Dark asked from behind the false angel and suddenly the demon felt a sharp and painfully powerful thrust of magic through his back and out his chest. He'd been run through with a fire tipped black feather, Dark's feather!

"Wha-What?" He stammered as he clutched his wound that was quickly gushing cold magic filled blood, "…But?"

"Kaitou…" Dark growled, "You called me Kaitou…demon…" Dark said venomously, "You knew I would never kill Krad…you used his identity to make me chose between my own life and his! You're lower then a demon, or any other monster…you don't even deserve to breath!" Dark screamed as the false Krad fell to his knees with one hand on his bleeding wound and the other supporting him on the ground.

"Hehe…Hahaha…" It was laughing, the thing was dying and yet it was laughing? This thing was sick…Dark thought to himself with another feather ready to strike the moment it tried to attack.

"And you think…that killing this form will matter to me?" The demon asked with a wicked smile on his face as it stood up with its back to Dark. Suddenly long blonde hair was replaced with long dark hair, the same color as Dark's own, and white clothes became black as a malice aura surround the creature's new identity.

Dark stood still in the silence as the smoke continued to disrupt his vision, as it had nowhere to vent thanks to the false Krad's spell of sealing them inside.

"Dark Mousy…"

That voice…Dark had heard it so many times before…the only voice he feared and hated with the same intensity as he did this demon. Dark, deep, malevolent…the voice of his shadow…the one Krad had destroyed and sealed away forever… "Verruckt…"

"You know…I only exist now for vengeance…" He said and turned to Dark, his blood red eyes glowing with the fires of hell and the same lust for blood that Dark remembered, "You destroyed my world…and my host…so I've come to return the favor…by destroying yours…" He said with a fanged smile.

"Not if I kill you first…" Dark growled dangerously.

"Oh really? You couldn't kill Krad…but…" He said grinning and slowly his height shrunk and short red hair and innocent large eyes appeared.

"D-Daisuke…" Dark said his eyes wide with horror.

"Could you kill me now?" The demon asked masked in Daisuke's voice and body.

"MONSTER!" Dark shrieked and sent another more powerful spell into the demon that only smiled and vanished into the smoke, as did Dark's attack. "Ah!"

"You can't kill me Dark…I can be anyone and anything…" The demon's voice seemed to come from everywhere, "I've obtained many identities thanks the young detective, your host, and your…angel…"

"Where are you?" Dark demanded turning to look everywhere, "Come out here and face me!"

"Very well…as who then?" The demon asked with a laugh, "Daisuke, you've already killed Krad, Satoshi, and Zanus… Adel perhaps? How about Emiko, or Satoshi's stepfather? No…perhaps I should take a different identity…" Suddenly the voice sounded closer and then something grabbed him from behind clasping their arms around his chest pinning his wings tightly to his body and immobilizing him, the demon was Verruckt again and laughing at Dark's helplessness as he once again struggled in vein from the demon that held him.

"LET GO OF ME!" Dark screamed, and then a sudden jolt of electricity shot through his body causing his muscles to lock up and he couldn't move!

"Not until I've finished…unlocking the great secrets of Dark Mousy…" He grinned venomously and lightly kissed the side of Dark's neck and prepared to enter his mind as he had done with the others.

'My secrets? No!' Dark screamed inside, 'He can't! No…this is what he did to Daisuke, Satoshi…and Krad…no, I don't want this! No, don't let him inside of me! Get him off of me!'

"DARK!"

Suddenly Dark felt his heart skip beat, that voice, he'd know it anywhere!

"K-Krad…" He managed to say even though he could barely move his lips.

"Damn…" The demon snapped and quickly let go of Dark and pushed away as it disappeared into the thick smoke that was now vanishing through the new opening that Krad had made after destroying the huge sheet of ice covering the main entrance to the room deep within the building.

Dark felt so tired…his eyelids felt heavy and his body was drained of any and all magic…he finally regained control of his muscles only to have his legs give way and he fell forward into a warm embrace.

"Dark, DARK!"

The voice was loud and full of terrifying worry, but Dark had desperately longed to hear it again.

"You…you're real right…I…I'm not…dreaming…?" Dark asked still unable to look up at the angel that held him tightly now with one hand behind his head pulling him closer and the other around his back adamantly holding.

"Yes…yes I'm real…" Krad said his voice almost breaking but slowly sounding more relieved, "I promise I'm real…" He repeated wrapping his wings around the figure he now held and sank to the ground still clutching him tightly.

"You're late…" Dark said with a short and faint chuckle.

"Yeah…I'm sorry…" Krad said with a bit of gladness in his voice that Dark still hadn't lost his sense of humor, "Had some trouble getting in…"

Dark wanted to say more, but he was so tired…he wanted nothing more then to fall asleep right now in Krad's arms, safe and warm.

"I…I didn't come too late…did I?" Krad asked as a lump of fear logged itself in his throat, afraid to hear that Dark had gone through the same terror that he had endured the night before.

Dark smiled a bit, "No…" He said with a slight laugh, "My head was too thick…Heh…guess that's a good…thing after…all…" Suddenly the exhausted Phantom Thief drifted off into sleep after burying his face into Krad's chest.

"Yeah…" Krad said and buried his own face into Dark's shoulder, "…I'm so sorry…" Krad was so relieved to be holding Dark again that he didn't even notice the silver stream of tears rolling down his face as they gently kissing Dark's lightly colored skin.

Krad had never cried before…he didn't even know what crying was…nor did he care. He'd made it just in time to save Dark…he made it just in time to tell him that he was sorry…nothing else mattered but that. He didn't even care about the demon that had escaped upon his entering, he didn't care that this was the second time he'd let it escape, he didn't even care that it could come back at any moment and kill him…no…All that mattered was that Dark was here…and he was with him.

"I'm so sorry…Dark…"

Notes from the Author:

Wow…sniffles A great fight scene and a tearjerker all in one chapter! My gosh this fic is so bipolar! **Cries **This is the second encounter with the demon and now its escaped again! Grrrrr! Don't worry…they'll get it next time! ….I hope…cries Thank you to all the readers and commenters once again! I LOVE YOU GUYS! **Dances** Wow…once again, 2 chapters in one day?! OMG! I need to chill with the typing for a while…my poor hands are killing me! **Bows **Thank you all once again and I do try to improve each chapter to keep the readers and myself happy! So enjoy and ta-ta for now!

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	8. In the Arms of an Angel

**Chapter 8:**

With Dark knocked unconscious and his magic drained, the barrier around the museum vanished, a sea of officers flooded into the building and entered the room where the 'Seraph's Pinion' was displayed. They found the room in shambles, pieces of marble uplifted and destroyed, smoke still lingered in the room including the ice covering all but one entrance, and the prized Hikari statue…was gone! The glass encasing the statue wasn't even disturbed, but its contents were gone, along with the Phantom Thief. The police and media were dumbfounded at not how Dark had escaped with the statue…but at the destruction of the interior of the museum. Dark had always been known as a clean-cut thief, who left every scene as if he were never there. From the looks of things, the media reported, it seemed that a struggle issued inside.

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Leaving the foolish police and the annoying media behind, Krad had thought about taking Dark back to Satoshi's apartment to take care of his injuries…but he doubted those damn police officers standing outside of the door had received farther orders to leave. There was only one thing left to do…and one he never would have done were the circumstances not so…the Niwa's. He doubted that after three long centuries of fighting they would just whole-heartedly accept the Hikari Guardian Devil into their home…but he didn't have much of a choice. The thought had crossed his mind to lay Dark down in Daisuke's room and then leave without being noticed…be he couldn't bring himself to leave Dark again, not with that demon on the lose. No matter what those human Niwa's said…Krad was staying with Dark no matter what.

Satoshi had been to Daisuke's before, and Krad was able to access the directions easily, finally the house came into view, as did the balcony to Daisuke's room. It was much smaller then Satoshi's but adequate for landing on.

Slowly and carefully Krad descended still carrying the unconscious Dark in his arms, Dark's head injury from the close encounter with magic to the face still bled openly, and Krad was sure he must have had a few broken bone from being squeezed too hard. But despite the pain he must have felt or the cold night air blowing on his face from the flight home, the Phantom Thief didn't so much as stir once. Krad had to look down several times to make sure his chest still rose and fell…and it did…proof that he was alive and still capable of waking…he hoped.

Krad had never seen Daisuke's room before, except for when Dark and he had switched bodies after both touching the Pendent of Azierith, but even then he still didn't get a good look at it…because the only time he surfaced in it was when he nearly destroyed it in his anger for losing the battle and his body to Dark. But that anger was almost non existent…he felt nothing but worry and fear for the Phantom Thief now…worry that Dark might not forgive him from trying to kill him after their first encounter with the demon, and fear that he might never see those beautiful violet eyes open again. Seeing him in this state caused something inside his chest to ache, and he fought back the tears again. Tears? What were they? What was this soft and gentle moisture that fell from his eyes? He had never seen or experienced them before…he wasn't quite sure why they even fell in the first place, or why it was so important to fight them back.

He shuck his head quickly, bringing himself out of meaningless thought, and walked over to the bed on the far side of the room. The sheets of the bed were clean and white, it looked quite comfortable…but for some reason, Krad didn't want to lay the unconscious Dark down on it…the feeling of holding him this close again was a desire that went unmet for so long…he never wanted to let him go again. But reason and logic slowly took over and he gently laid the sleeping form down on the bed. The multiple injuries on Dark's body, plus the large cut to his forehead, turned once pearl white sheets into snow tainted with large areas of red. The other smaller cuts didn't really concern him; it was the large gash on his forehead that worried him. He tore a long strip of white cloth from his coat and carefully folded it and applied pressure to Dark's wound. The blood quickly seeped through it, drenching the once pure white with crimson life.

But Krad was glad, seeing Dark's chest rise and fall normally and seeing that his heart was still beating causing him to bleed…was a relief that Krad was more then happy to feel. He would have revenge for Dark…but right now his only thoughts were of the thief recovering. How desperately he wanted to see him smile again, and listen to his cocky and annoying taunts and teases, how badly he wanted to feel his embrace returned by his darker half…and how badly he wanted to feel Dark's lively lips upon his own. After tearing off another strip of cloth and wrapping it around Dark's head, the white winged angel stood up and stared down at Dark. He looked so peaceful, and he was glad that in sleep…you couldn't feel pain…because his body must have endured so much.

Krad was tired from flying with the extra weight he had to carry for such a long distance, but he didn't mind, nor was he even sleepy. He'd slept enough already, and he wanted to stay awake to make sure that as Dark slept…he would be safe.

Suddenly light shinned into the dark room causing Krad to cringe as his cat like eyes tried to adjust to the sudden intrusion of light.

"Daisuke, honey is that…" Suddenly Emiko's eyes fell onto the white clad angel and she dropped the glass of water she was carrying onto the floor with a crash as it shattered. "K-Krad…" She could barely speak.

'Grrr…why does my luck always go from bad…to worse…' Krad growled inside as he backed away a bit from the horror struck woman who stood frozen at the door on the other side of the room.

Suddenly another figure appeared in the doorway, an older male with short gray hair on his head and face, strangely he reminded Krad of Daisuke. But he recognized this Niwa…one of Dark's former hosts, age didn't dampen his features from long ago one bit. No doubt that seeing his former enemy standing in his grandson's bed room with Dark's blood all over his white clothes and Dark, unconscious and badly wounded, laying on the bed seemed a little off to him.

"Oh my God…" The elder Niwa replied shocked and astounded at the sight.

Krad wanted to say that he meant them no harm, but he could barely get a word out as a spell chanted from the elder Niwa's lips barreled into him causing him to groan with pain as the Sealing spell brought him to his knees. Damn, the Niwa's hold on magic sure hasn't lessen with age, Krad thought to himself as he muttered a counter cursed and dispelled the annoyingly painful magic.

"What? It's not working!" Emiko gasped as Krad got to his feet now trying his best to control his temper.

"Stand back Emiko…" The elder Niwa said and stepped in front of her.

"Grrr…damn humans…" Krad growled under his breath, "I didn't come here for a fight!" Krad snapped and the two Niwa's fell silent. The elder Daiiki never took his eyes from Krad and Emiko stared over at the image on the bed noticing for the first time that Dark lay there unmoving.

"Dark!" Emiko cried out in horror, "You monster!" She screamed glaring at Krad with a murderous intent in her water filled eyes.

These human's actually thought that he would hurt Dark? Well…okay yeah he guessed they would think that since he'd only been trying to kill Dark for the past three hundred years…but they didn't know the new circumstances now…if anyone was his enemy at the moment it wasn't Dark.

"…He's…alive…" Krad said trying to suppress another twist of pain in his chest and he looked down at the ground no longer standing in a defensive stance with his wings flared, slowly, as a gesture of his sincerity not to harm them, he folded his great white wings passively, hoping that they would calm down. "He's just exhausted of magic and energy…" He finished trying hard to keep his composure and the Niwa from launching another sealing spell at him.

"What have you done to him!" Emiko screamed glaring at the golden haired angel that refused to meet her gaze.

"…I have not done anything…this is the work of another…" Krad said in a near whisper and with a sigh.

"Liar!" Emiko shouted, but Daiiki placed a hand in front of the woman who was nearly in tears. She stared down at her father unsure of what to make of this action.

"…Krad is incapable of lying Emiko…" Daiiki said as his daughter looked at him astound. Silence hung between the three for a long while before the elder Niwa breathed a heavy sigh and stood tall still looking at Krad, "I believe you demon…" He replied and Krad felt a bit hurt at the title of demon, but understood his reasons, "But if what you say is true…then who has done this to Dark?" He asked calmly.

Krad stood silent for a while and unmoving, to be honest, he really didn't even know what the thing was…for it really didn't have a true name or identity to go by. He looked back over at Dark with pain filled eyes and sighed, "I honestly don't know…" He said calmly, "All I know is that it wants Dark…and I dead…I'm sorry that I can't tell you more…" He replied hoping that his answer would satisfy the Niwa so he could return to tending to Dark.

Daiiki did indeed look surprised at the answer, but somehow he believed that the demon had no intention of harming Dark or them. "I see…" He said and took a moment to collect his thoughts, and then turned to his daughter, "Emiko…take care of Dark's wounds…and don't be afraid…the demon has no intention to hurt you. So try to calm down and focus of what you have to do." Emiko nodded then looked back at Krad wearily, "And as for you…demon…" Daiiki said and slightly turned back to Krad as their two eyes met, "You may leave now…" He said and suddenly those cat like eyes filled with adamant rage and glared at him, "if you wish…" The Niwa finished firmly and Krad calmed down a bit. "But know this…if you stay then you are a guest here…which means that you are to act properly and abide by our rules…understand?" He asked handing something to Emiko.

Krad looked at him curiously and nodded. Then Emiko slowly walked over to him carrying something in her hands and stopped in front of Krad returning to her firm composure.

"Then you are to allow Emiko to put these on you…" Daiiki replied still in the doorway staring at Krad.

Krad looked down at the contents in Emiko's hands and his eyes widened, "Sealing Restraints?" He growled and his ice-cold eyes glared angrily at the elder Niwa.

"Just because I believe you doesn't mean I trust you…" Daiiki replied standing unaffected by Krad's eyes. "This is a precaution…and you agreed to the terms of staying here did you not?" He asked as Krad began to bitterly curse under his breath.

_'Krad…maybe I should come out…they might feel more comfortable with me…' Satoshi said from within as the demon stared at the restraints pondering his options._

'No…they still wouldn't be happy…remember I'm known for sudden and forceful take overs…plus if that thing comes back…' He said with a growled, 'then you wouldn't stand much of a chance…'

"So…have you decided yet?" Daiiki asked as Krad came back too.

It took a moment for Krad to respond and he sighed as he realized he had no other choice. "Yes…I will accept your request…" Krad said with a bitter tone and held out his wrists to Emiko, who after a moment placed the two silver cuffs onto them and they clasped tight around the demon's wrist causing him to cringe a bit. The restraints had no key hole and could only be opened with the magic of its creator, suddenly Krad shut his eyes tight as the magic of the restrains began to kick in and the painful process of locking his magic inside of him began and ended in a few moments.

"Good…" Daiiki said and turned his back to the room, "And you may only stay in this room and are not to leave it…understood?"

"Fine…" Krad growled angrily feeling like a damn prisoner, but he calmed himself down after the elder Niwa left, he understood why they wouldn't trust him…so he didn't blame them for their cautiousness…but it angered him that these restraints were so damn tight and he felt helpless without being able to use his magic. But that feeling soon left…he was allowed to stay with Dark…and that's what mattered…His whole reason for putting up with this humiliation.

He looked over at Emiko, who was looking over the extent of Dark's injuries and every few minutes or so she returned to her gaze to the Demon who stood still in the center of the room now looking over at Dark.

"No need to worry about me…" Krad said to her with a bit of sarcasm in his voice as he gestured down towards the uncomfortable restraints making him about as harmless as a child, "I won't harm you…"

It did little to calm Emiko's fears, but she returned to her task and when she was finished, she left the room and closed the door as the elder Niwa had instructed her.

Alone again.

Krad looked over at Dark who was now wrapped with clean and proper bandages and still resting silently. He gave a sigh of relief and leaned up against the wall adjacent to Dark, he slowly slid down it and sat comfortably on the ground and closed his eyes for a moment. If he couldn't hold Dark, then what was the point of being close to him…but it was killing him inside to the feeling of being able to do nothing.

"Krad…"

Krad opened his eyes slightly and looked over to where the voice was coming from…Daisuke sat on the bed turned fully to his direction and looking at him with a guilty and saddened expression.

Krad sighed; he guessed that Dark had lost too much energy to remain in control of his host's body for very long, and looked up at the Niwa, "What is it Daisuke…" Krad asked calmly and a bit disappointed that not only was the silence broken but that he no longer was in the presence of Dark.

"I…I wanted to say…thanks for saving Dark…" Daisuke said looking down at his hands that were clutching the blood stained sheets of the bed, "You…don't know how grateful I am…you did…"

Krad sighed again and looked away towards a random spot on the wall resting an arm on one knee, "It's alright Daisuke…don't worry about it…" Suddenly the sound of soft sobs reached his ears and he turned his attentions back to the Niwa who was hiding his face as tears rolled down it.

"I…I don't want you to be…mad with Dark…" He said trying not to allow his voice to break, "That night…at the museum…it was my fault not Dark's that we went…" He began, "I just wanted to help…he…he tried to stop me he really did! But…I…I wouldn't let him…" Daisuke said as more sobs broke from him, "And…it really hurt Dark to think that…you thought he'd broken his promise to you…but he didn't…so please…don't be mad at him-" Suddenly Daisuke's apology was broken off as he felt warm arms around him and white wings surrounding him. Daisuke was so engrossed with trying to find the right words to apologize to Krad, that he didn't notice the angel walk over to him and sit on the bed next to him. Even though Krad's wrists were bound together, he was able to wrap his arms around the crying boy and surround him with his wings.

"I'm not mad at Dark, Daisuke…and I don't want you to think that…so please don't worry about it any longer." Krad said softly and Daisuke's shock at this sudden action faded, and he snuggled closer to Krad and his warmth that felt so much like Dark's. He missed Dark so much, and he felt like it was his fault that Dark was hurt because he was unable to draw on his energy during the battle. Dark was still unconscious inside of his mind and still hurt…but at least nothing could hurt Dark inside of his mind…that was the only thing Daisuke felt he could do for him. He continued to cry softly until he fell asleep in Krad's embrace.

_'Thank you…Krad…' Satoshi said as he sighed softly watching Daisuke sleeping peacefully in his angel's arms. Since Satoshi was unable to change back into a tangible form due to the restraints, Krad had sensed how much he wanted to hold Daisuke and did so for him on his on free will._

Krad was silent for a long time and just held the sleeping Niwa with his eyes closed, pretending that it was Dark he held…for it was Dark he so desperately wanted to hold.

Notes from the Author:

Okay, one more chapter of fluffy tear jerking goodness and then we'll have the ol' Phantom Thief back in action! **Dances** Thank you all so much to my newest readers and commenter to my veteran fans! YOU GUYS ROCK!! XD And I'll keep up my tradition of fast uploads by getting to work on a lighter chapter 9! So till next time, ta-ta!

_**General Kitty Girl**_

p.s. I read all of the comments you guys send me and cry at how wonderful you all are! I'd love to write back to each and every single one of you individually to thank you, but there's just to many of you! **Sniffles** So here I go with my last box of Kleenex and say…sniffles

THANK YOU ALL!!_ **Hugskissesglompsclingstacklesloves**_ MEOW MEOW! YOU ALL ROCK MY SOX OFF! XD


	9. When Angel's Fall Before Demons

**Chapter 9:**

Krad had accidentally fallen asleep while gently holding the young Niwa boy. He didn't know how long he must have been asleep, but what brought him too was the faint nudging feeling of someone snuggling closer to him. Slowly golden eyes halfway opened to find his head resting on a bed of dark purple hair…purple hair? But didn't the Niwa have red hair? Then Krad felt arms slowly wrapping themselves around him and a soft moaning sigh escaped from the being below him…

"Hn…" Krad groaned, as he lifted his head, the head beneath him looked up and smiling purple eyes met surprised golden ones.

"Good morning sunshine." Dark said with a grin and without warning gave Krad a swift brushing kiss on the lips that startled the blonde.

"Dar-!" Krad exclaimed but in an attempt to jump up he'd forgotten that his arms were around Dark's body and the restrains held true as he lost his balance and fell ungracefully to the floor and Dark fell on top of him just as surprised as he was with the sudden fall.

Krad groaned with the added and sudden weight of Dark down on him making it difficult to breath at all as Dark uncomfortably repositioned himself to straddling over Krad's midsection and looked behind him at Krad's bound wrists, "What the…Krad you've been arrested?" Dark exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah…you could say that…" Krad said trying to catch himself as he shift underneath Dark to a more bearable position, "Your…precious Niwa's did this…" Krad growled as Dark looked back down at the beautiful angel below him.

"The Niwas? Emiko and Daiiki-sama did this?" Dark asked surprised, "But why?"

Krad looked at Dark with a scowl; that was a stupid question, "Because for the past three hundred years my soul purpose in life was to hunt down and destroy every last one of them, and to have their most feared and hated enemy just suddenly show up in their grandson's room with a beat up Dark Mousy and a bloody coat, it was a little over whelming for them!" Krad said as Dark glared back at the restraints.

"Hmph, still, this is just rude…I mean, it's your first time over here and they chain you up like this? What kind of hosts are they?" Dark said crossing his arms and turning back towards Krad, "Don't worry, I'll have a talk with them about this. Normally we don't treat our houseguests like this, so this is a little over the top even for Emiko." Dark replied with a smile.

"Well…now that you're awake…would you do me a favor and remove them?" Krad asked still with his arms bound behind Dark's back as he lay underneath him.

A sudden devious smirk played across Dark's face and he sat back to enjoy the view of the beautiful angel, "And why should I? In this situation and with you bound like this…I can think of a thousand wonderful ideas why I shouldn't unrestraint you." He said still smirking at the now annoyed demon.

"Dark…if you don't remove these infernal bounds…I'm going to rip open your stomach and remove your internal organs one by one…" Krad hissed in a threatening tone.

"Hm…" Dark sounded with a smirk and bent his mouth down close to Krad's ear so that the angel could feel his breath on his neck, "Well…since you asked so nicely…" Dark whispered mockingly and placed one hand over Krad's bound wrists as Krad's heartbeat quicken. "Entfernen…" The velvety silver words of magic flowed off his tongue and the painful restrains vanished without a trace.

Krad's wrists immediately snapped apart from one another and he took advantage of free hands once again. Without warning Krad grabbed the thief and pushed him over so that he was now on top of him pinning his hands to his sides, the thief quickly looked up at Krad in surprised as angry golden eyes glared down at him. "Now Dark…give me one good reason why I shouldn't strangle you to death right now for being a smart ass?" Krad asked in a hiss, now straddling Dark from the same vantage point that Dark once had over Krad.

"Well…" Dark said as a nervous smile crossed his lips, "Because I love you?" Dark said innocently.

Krad glared hard at him for a brief second then buried his face in the thief's neck and nuzzled him lovingly, "…I missed you…" He said in an almost inaudible voice as those infernal tears he'd felt last night began to try and make their way back to his tightly shut eyes.

Dark was a little surprised at first, then smiled and wrapped his arms around his angel lovingly once Krad had released them to wrap his own around the thief, "I missed you too…" He said softly and felt soft warm tears gently kiss his neck.

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The second time…this was the second time it had tried to kill Dark only to have his light half interfere. Without a host body of its' own, it was no match for the two of them at the same time. This was becoming more and more annoying by the second, and annoyance was turning into frustration and rage very quickly.

"Damn them…damn them both…" It growled in the voice of the form it now preferred to take refuge as, Adel, "I was so close…so close to ridding myself of that damn thief once and for all!" He roared and slammed his fists against the wall of the building he now stood beside, "Perhaps I'm going about this the wrong way…" He said thinking to himself, "It's time I stopped toying with them and just ended this game once and for all…" He growled and looked out over the city from his high vantage point. "Hmm…perhaps I've been trying to destroy them in the wrong order…" He said calming down a bit. "Was it not the white one who destroyed my original host…and interfered with my plans…twice?"

A sudden thought dawned upon the demon and a wicked smile crossed his face.

"Yes…the demon seems very protective of the thief…and I'm sure after last night he'll be dying to pick a fight with me…" He began, "Perhaps I should play on that weakness and insure that this time…the Thief has no guardian angel to save him…"

With the plan devised, the demon cast one of the many spells possessed by the long since dead mage and vanished without a trace.

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Krad and Dark lay still on the floor for some time, holding each other, just comforted by the other's presence. Krad was now at Dark's side still clutching his other half close as Dark held the fallen angel tightly, gently stroking the resting blonde's soft hair. Krad's face was still buried in the thief's neck and Dark sweetly kissed his forehead. He wondered when the last time he held Krad like this…what did it matter now…Krad was here and the fact was, his angel was safely back in his arms. Their bodies fit together so perfectly, like missing pieces of a puzzle…he loved being with the angel…he never wanted anything else in life.

When Dark had turned back into Daisuke, he remembered waking to the presence of his other self close by…looking through Daisuke's eyes he saw white wings and he himself felt comforted. For within a host, one was able to heal quicker, and Daisuke had only spent a brief amount of time in the angel's arms before the conscious and rested Dark took over. Once Daisuke and he had switched, Daisuke told him that he felt better knowing that Krad didn't hate them. In a way, Dark felt better about it too. Slightly he felt the angel in his arms stir a bit before resting once more in the warm embrace. Dark looked down at the angel again and smiled lightly as he felt Krad's warm breath against his bar neck, it felt so good.

The sun was already up and had been seeping into the room for hours now. For some reason time really never mattered to the thief, he could spend eternity like this. Krad was right there in his arms…he needed nothing else. The angel had been through so much already…and even Dark's still throbbing physical couldn't begin to measure up to what Krad must have gone through. And even though he didn't have to, Krad had come and saved him from experiencing such pain. Dark had also hated the painful cycle of eternal death and rebirth. He'd had some wonderful hosts…and some he wished he could have killed himself…yet he felt no stronger a connection between spirit and host then with Daisuke.

Suddenly, Krad began to stir again from beneath him and slowly rose himself up to his knees before his stiff body from lying on the floor made that beautiful face cringe and he froze after grabbing his head with one hand.

"Sorry…I'm…I'm just really tired…" Krad said trying to force his muscles to receive blood flow again.

"I didn't mind…so why'd you get up?" Dark asked with a pout.

Krad sighed and sat back leaning against the wall with his head in his hand silent for a while, "…you know…I never did get a straight answer out of you…" Krad said as Dark cocked his head in confusion, "When I asked you if I had gotten there in time…" Krad said and worry arose again in his voice, "I didn't really understand your response last time…so please…could you tell me now?"

Dark looked at him for a moment and sat himself up, also having the same discomfort of stiff muscles, "…He almost did…" Dark said and hugged his knees; "He was pretty close too…the whole time…I was screaming inside for it to stop…and to be honest…I felt pretty powerless…." Dark said with a sigh, he could sense Krad's uneasiness, "But…he went all the way with you…" Dark said and saw Krad's body shiver with the thought, "So I should be saying…I'm sorry to you…because I didn't get there on time to save you…" He replied and hugged his knees tighter.

Krad's head shot up and he looked over at Dark, "No Dark!" said quickly, "I don't blame you for any of that…there was nothing you could have done…anyway…Daisuke told me what happened…I don't blame you at all…" He said almost feeling relieved he got that off his chest.

Silence hung between the two again.

"I'll bet…they're a lot worse then mine…your memories I mean,"Dark began and Krad slumped over again, "Every time I was revived…everyone was so happy and welcoming…though not all of my hosts were…but none would try to get rid of me or anything…I'm family tradition…not the family curse…" Dark said and turned his gaze to the floor.

"…I wish I knew what that was like…" Krad said and Dark looked up at him, "I mean…to be called something other then the family curse…"

Dark smiled and stood up walking over to Krad and knelt down on one knee in front of him as the angel looked up at him, "I don't think of you as a curse…" He said sweetly and leaned forward and took Krad's face in his hands. He had the most adorable flushed face, and he gently kissed him on the lips. It was a chaste kiss, and one of slow love rather then burning lust. It was nice, and Krad almost leaned forward too much into it before he caught himself and desperately wanted to pull back. The feeling of doing this in an occupied house such as the Niwa's was a bit unsettling to him, considering he knew their feelings towards him.

"Dark…" Krad moaned as Dark gave little kisses down his face and neck that made the fallen angel's skin burn with desire, "Dark…please…not now…" Krad begged as yet another kiss was forcing him to the brink of insanity. The desire was there, oh yes it was there, but it didn't feel right at the current place and time.

But Dark didn't seem to hear, and now had resorted to lightly licking and nibbling on a sensitive part of Krad's neck that Dark knew was a fast turn on spot for the demon. Krad's skin was addictively seductive and the more he tasted, the more he wanted.

Ecstasy and passion were flooding Krad's brain and senses. He knew they should stop before this got out of hand, but he didn't want to. God, why did he have to be such a good kisser? Krad internally cursed. Now Dark was sitting on top of him again and was running one hand through Krad's hair, and the other was slowly running down Krad's side. God, this felt good. Maybe he should just stop fighting it and give in? Wait no! He quickly shuck his head and regretfully pulled back from Dark's touch.

He looked up at Dark who looked extremely crushed and disappointed. "What's wrong?" He asked confused.

"N-Nothing's wrong…" Krad said still trying to catch his breath and resist the urge to lunge forward and force himself onto the thief, which knowing Dark, he probably wouldn't have minded, "It's just…not here and now…"Krad said with a sigh trying to slow his heart beat down.

Dark sighed and looked a bit hurt, but he could understand, he did feel more uncomfortable about it now that he stopped to think about it. It would be a bit odd to have Emiko just walk in on them turning each other on…or worse. Suddenly Krad put his hand under Dark's chin lifting him up into a kiss.

"That doesn't mean we can't later…" Krad said mischievously.

"Can I hold you to that?" Dark asked with a smirk.

"As long as you promise not to disappoint me." Krad said returning the thief's anticipating grin.

"Now since when have I ever disappointed you, or broken a promise for that matter?" Dark asked teasingly.

"Hmph, then don't start now." Krad replied with a chuckle and stood up helping the thief to his feet.

Suddenly Emiko came into the door in a hurry. All see saw was Dark on his feet and Krad glancing over to her from in front of Dark, who was now turning to Daisuke's mother.

"Dark-san! You're awake!" Emiko said joyfully and ran over to Dark hugging him.

"Yes…Yes I am…" Dark said a bit shocked at the sudden glomp and almost lost his balance and fell into Krad, which personally he wouldn't have minded.

"Are you alright? How's Daisuke? Is he awake? Are you hungry? Are you sick?" Emiko asked all at once and felt Dark's forehead for a fever nearly knocking Dark over with questions. For he did still have a headache from his head wound that was now a scar, and hearing the loud noises of Emiko's voice was making it worse.

Krad stepped back a minute. He wasn't sure if Emiko was helping, or trying to kill Dark. It looked like she hadn't even noticed him. "Geez, women are frightening…" Krad muttered to himself as Emiko continued an inspection of Dark.

_'Tell me about it…' Satoshi said from within as a headache from the noise Emiko was making pounded in his head._

'AH! Satoshi-sama! How long have you been awake?' Krad demanded nervously.

_'Hmm? Oh I just woke up…why I something the matter?' He asked confused._

'Oh…n-no…nothing.' Krad replied then felt a sigh of relief.

"Are you sure you don't have a fever? How's your head wound? Can you move your arms? Cough for me…" Emiko continued.

"WOAH!" Dark said and jumped back a bit nearly hitting Krad in a panic, "I said I was fine…Geez Emiko…" Dark said as his head pounded on. 'Goodness…she was worried wasn't she?'

"I'm sorry Dark…I was just making sure…because you know, whatever happens to you happens to Daisuke…and Daisuke wasn't feeling well to begin with remember?" Emiko replied with a smile then turned her attention over to the white winged angel standing behind Dark. "Oh…did he wake you up?" Emiko ask losing her smile and leering at Krad.

"What? No, No, No…ah…Emiko-sama…" Dark said and shuck his head, "Listen…" But Krad who was now walking towards the balcony cut him off.

"It's okay Dark…I'm glad to see you on your feet again…I look forward to our next meeting…" Krad replied and gave one last look back at the thief before turning away towards the day and spreading his wings and left.

"Wait…Krad!" Dark began, but the angel was gone.

Emiko sighed, "I'm sorry Dark…I didn't mean to be rude and chase him away if you wanted to talk to him that badly…" Emiko said apologetically.

Dark shuck his head and turned back to her, "Don't worry about it…but…the next time he comes over…try and lay off the hand cuffs, eh?" Dark said with a look that made Emiko blush slightly.

"Well…he is an unpredictable demon…I didn't know you two had a temporary treaty…" Emiko said with a bow, "I heard that something is after you both…would you care to fill us in?" She asked curiously.

Dark didn't answer. He didn't want to tell them and worry them more knowing that an Identity Thief Demon was on the loose and out to get him. And he didn't want to let anything slip about Krad. Not to mention he now had a killer headache.

He looked back up and smiled to Emiko, "I'll let you know when there's nothing left to worry about."

Notes from the Author:

Wow did this one take a while to write… and man it's so short! But you know…I don have a life off of the computer…shocking to believe I know…sigh Well another chapter up and still more to go! Hope you all liked the fluff, the angst, the almost lemon yaoi-ness, and cliffhanger! Till next upload, thanks for the comments and for reading! Bye!

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	10. OneonOne

**Chapter 10:**

Dark was really loved by his family. Emiko, however eccentric and over protecting she may be, was really worried about Dark and her son. Maybe, that's what it's like to be known as part of a family…instead of the outcasts of the family. For as long as he could remember, his hosts were treated much in the same way he was…to be used, abused, then thrown away…problem was…Krad always came back…but his hosts never did. Ah, what good was thinking about this now…Krad said to himself and shuck his head during the flight home to Satoshi's. It must have been three o'clock before he landed on the balcony, slowly descending and making sure he wasn't seen in the broad daylight…and he really wasn't worrying to much about it, considering it was a school day and most people were at work.

Landing anywhere had always been sadness for him, flying was the only joy he ever held in his three hundred some odd years of life. And when that joy had to end, the nightmares would begin. Nightmares.

Suddenly Krad gasped and felt a terrible pain come over him, the barricade holding his memories back had just suddenly faded.

"What? NO!" Krad wanted to scream, but could barely form words in his mouth as he grabbed his head and fell to his knees, "Wha…What's…ha-happening…" Krad growled shutting his eyes tight. They were back…with overwhelming atrocity! The pain surging through his head made him cringe, even the first time this had happened wasn't this bad! Suddenly, just as quickly as the memories had come…they were gone, but the headache still lingered like a bad hang over. Damn it hurt…but…what the hell was that? "Arg…" Krad moaned and cringed again at another pulsating jolt of pain shot through his head.

Suddenly, to soft sound of footsteps caught his attention…coming towards him from within the apartment, "Good…now that I have your attention…"

The voice was dark and mildly amused. Krad quickly jumped up and glared at the being that dared to laugh at his pain…or cause it in the first place. But the sudden jump caused his head to spin and his vision to blur a bit, but he refused to show any sign of weakness…even though he was dizzy as hell.

The being in front of him stepping out slightly from the shadows had short golden hair, piercing blue eyes, lightly fair skin, and wearing a white long sleeve turtle neck with tight leather pants that cling to him like a second skin…Xilef…he dared to mock him by taking on the identity of his shadow self, the same person that this demon's former host had slain in cold blood. "You…" Krad growled un-phased by the demon's choice of appearance.

The form of Xilef stood there with a smile that didn't suit his soft features, as the true Xilef had been a kind and far to caring person as far as Krad was concerned…He walked into a fight with his former lover knowing that he would die…yet he still continued the battle. But he did have one fond memory of Xilef, though they only met face to face for a short time, for the sake of his own kingdom and world he was willing to have Dark, himself, Daisuke, and Satoshi killed…but he couldn't bring himself to do it, though he had plenty of chances. Xilef really was a kind-hearted fool…the complete opposite of Krad…but lately, that had been changing. No…this demon didn't deserve to wear his face.

"Nice to see you again…Krad Hikari…did you miss me?" The demon asked with a smirk and crossed his arms studying Krad causing the fallen angel to shudder.

"By coming here, demon, you've signed your own death warrant…" Krad growled as a raging fury grew inside of him. He rose his hand and a ball of ice began to form with the soul purpose of sending the demon to rot in hell, but suddenly his head began to burn and the same terrible pain as before, almost forced him to the ground again as he grabbed his head.

"Tsk, tsk…" The demon chuckled and held his hand in front of him, "Let's not forget that it is still daylight my friend…and using your powers in plain view may cause some problems with your host…should someone see…" The demon mocked and released the pain from Krad's head slightly, but only enough so that the angel could open his eyes again, "Let's talk inside shall we? And let's also keep the temper tantrums to a minimal…I can send you back into that pain again or worse with the snap of my fingers…so try to make our time together a pleasant and relatively…painless…" The demon finished with a wicked grin.

How dare he! For invading his mind the first time, the demon would only endure a quick end…for harming Dark he would have only suffered being obliterated from existence after only a few hours of torture, but for mocking him and daring to play god over him…he would beg for death after Krad ripped all of his insides out while he was still alive…then send him on a one way trip to the seventh circle of hell to burn for all eternity!

"I'm waiting…" The demon taunted, turning his back to Krad as if trying to make him use his powers in the day light by dropping his guard.

No…he would play his little game for now…but he wouldn't fall prey to losing control with the risk of a mortal seeing him use his full powers. Slowly the demon led him inside. Suddenly the sliding glass door leading to the balcony shut behind Krad with a slam once he was fully inside. It startled him, but he never took his eyes from the demon who now turned to him smiling…studying every inch of him…a shiver made it's way up Krad's spin causing his headache to worsen.

"Well…now that we're alone…let's talk shall we?" The false Xilef asked with a darkly warm smile, "I like you better in the shadows anyway…it brings out your more…attractively demonic features…" The demon added with a devious glance.

"Grrr…Just get on with it demon…what do you want?" Krad snapped, disgusted at the creatures comment.

"What, not in the mood for sweet talk? Maybe if I took the form of your precious kaitou…you'd change your mind…" The false Xilef replied seeming to deliberate the idea.

"Don't you dare…you're face won't change the fact that you're a demon! One who's about to be vaporized if you don't start answering my questions!" Krad growled nearly losing himself to the urge to lung forward and slice off the demon's head.

"Aww…now that hurts…you hypocrite…" The demon replied with a falsely hurt face, "Or did you forget that you're as much a demon as I?"

"Grrr…I said, answer my damn question! Arg…" Suddenly after a brief moment of extreme pressure in his head he fell silent and glared at the demon murderously.

"May you also not forget the position you're in right now…" The demon replied becoming more serious now. "Once inside a person's head…even for a brief second…I can cause the poor fool immense pain…even a slow death if I wish it…so you might want to keep that rudeness of yours in check…" He replied and released the pain once again.

Krad didn't speak again…his head hurt too much. He was barley able to keep his eyes trained on the demon at the moment…he felt to dizzy and the soft light around him made his head throb with pain.

Suddenly, Krad felt someone come up from behind him. Even though the haze of pain and dizziness, he could feel two arms wrap themselves around him, one around his chest holding his arms in place, and the other around his waist pulling him closer…and the closer he got, the more intense the pain…

"What's wrong Krad…I thought you rather liked this position…" The demon snickered and nuzzled the back of Krad's neck, causing the angel's skin to crawl. "I've played the memory over and over again in my head…I remember each and every emotion you felt then too…I wonder, do you feel them now?"

Krad's anger was reaching a breaking point, but the angrier he became the more the pain hurt. It was killing him! And the feeling of this demon pressing up against him wasn't helping.

"Hmm…it doesn't matter to me anyway…I always take what I want and when I'm done with it…I simply throw it away…much like your loving Hikari's hmm? Considering they made me…as well as you…"

Krad's anger was past its boiling point now; he was going to kill this demon even if his head exploded, which would be a wonderful reprieve from the pain. Krad growled and forced his wings open with a large burst of energy, throwing the demon off of him. Normally he would have followed up with another devastating attack, but he fell to his knees in pain barely clinging to consciousness.

"Haha…" The demon chuckled softly and moved to in front of the kneeling angel who was holding his head and slightly wrapping his wings around him to block out the painful light, "A bold move…but I didn't have to tell you that…I'm sure you're feeling the after effects of your decision now…"

"I…I'll kill…you…" Krad growled with barely a voice to speak with as he knelt there blind and unable to sense the demon anywhere. This was not good at all, the monster could attack from anywhere and Krad wouldn't be able to detect, much less block it, in time. But no such attack came, only another irritating laugh.

"Alright then…I'll give you your chance…" The demon said and knelt down to in front of Krad still smirking, "Meet me tonight on the roof of the old museum…the one where we first met." He added with another grin and moved his mouth close to Krad's ear, "And come alone…least you forget…though I wasn't able to fully penetrate the kaitou's memories… I was still inside of his mind…and have the same power I do now to send the Kaitou to his knees begging for death. Understand?" The demon asked slowly standing up and moving away from Krad lessening his hold on his mind. "It's a date then…so don't forget." He said turning from the fallen angel, "See you soon…"

Suddenly the demon had vanished again and with it the extreme pain that had pounded itself into Krad's brain. He collapsed on the ground panting and still with a mild migraine as the lingering effects of the pain still held.

_'Krad! Krad are you okay?' Satoshi repeated over and over again to the exhausted angel._

Krad would have loved to clamp Satoshi's mouth shut as his shouting was making his headache worse…but he was too tired and in pain.

_'Krad!' Satoshi said again more urgently._

"Y-Yes…I'm…fine…" Krad growled annoyed that speaking hurt his head even worse. He strained to raise himself up on his arms and barely managed the task, "D-Did you hear…everything…?" Krad asked shutting his eyes again as more sunlight came in from the window.

_'…It's obviously a trap…' Satoshi replied at a moment of silence to allow the pain in Krad's head to dull a bit. 'You're not planning on going are you?' Satoshi asked calmly._

Yeah, like he had a choice…the demon had threatened to hurt Dark…and if he could bring Krad to his knees with but a fraction of his power…then there was no telling what that might do to Dark. Krad slowed his breath back to normal and slowly reopened his eyes.

"Like I have a choice Sato-kun…" Krad said with a groan as he stood up on his two legs again, "I have to go…"

_Satoshi wasn't surprised, but just the same he was extremely worried._

"Hmph, don't worry so much Sato-kun…" Krad replied with a short smirk, "I'm beginning to think you actually like me…"

_'Krad…'_

"It's okay Satoshi…I know…" Krad said with a sigh, "I'm going to the museum tonight…I'm going to end this once and for all, and enjoy tearing that demon to pieces…" He growled.

_'But alone! You and I both know you can't beat him if you can't stand up!' Satoshi retorted trying to avert his angel's intentions._

"Hehe," Krad chuckled, "One thing I was able to gather from this…little experience…He can only mess with my head if he has full and undivided attention focused on me…so if he can't focus…he can't immobilize me."

_'But if he's already got you in a bind, then how do you plan to distract him?' Satoshi asked sharply._

"Who said it was going to be me…that was distracting him?"

Notes from the Author:

SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY SOOOORRRRRY! **Cries** I'm so sorry I let you all down by not uploading yesterday! **cries more** I do apologize, but my daddy finally came home from the hospital yesterday after not seeing him for like a week and I spent the day with him instead of typing! **bow bow bow** And sorry this chappie is so short, but I promise that the next one will be much longer! **bow bow bow bow** I'M SORRY SORRY SORRY AGAIN!! And thank you so much to everyone who commented and bared with me enough to continue to read! **bow bow bow** Meow Meow, **sniffles** So please forgive me! **Bows** Thank you…

_**General Kitty Girl**_

P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! And thank you to all of you who gave me cookies and super good chocolate to keep me awake after typing for six hours straight! Meow! Huggles to you all!


	11. Sacrifice

**Chapter 11:**

White wings cut through the black night, illuminated like silver as the moon and starlight softly glowed upon them. The destination…the ancient black building that stood tall before the large body of water that lay in its wake below. The reflection upon the water looked like a towering black obelisk shooting straight up out of the earth, much like an ominous tombstone. There was little wind tonight, not really much of a breeze either, and the reflection stood still and unsettling. However, it didn't affect the fallen angel in the least, he'd seen too much over the past three hundred years to be phased by a mere reflection.

He was flying high over the dark city when the view of the rooftop came into view. It was a flat roof, like a large battling platform, a fitting place for the demon's grave, he thought and slowly descended on the rooftop. From above, he looked like a small light in a sea of black, for he was dressed in his usual pure white attire…and if he was planning to ambush the demon, he should have stuck to black as apposed to white.

The area was plain…Krad seemed to be the only being on the surface, but a slightly pining feeling in his head told him that he wasn't alone.

"So…you decided to show after all."

The voice was the same as he remembered, he must still be in the form of Xilef, the demon was walking up to him from in front this time, not bothering to sneak up on him from the back as Krad had suspected he would.

"As if you gave me much choice…" Krad replied crossing his arms and glaring at the demon.

"Hmm…you know…I never did understand when you started caring for the Kaitou's well-being…could you possibly explain that to me?" The demon asked curiously.

"No." Krad said blankly and glared. He was not about to grace the demon with small talk, he just wanted to rip its heart out and go home.

"Aww…spoiled sport…" The demon pouted then returned to his irritating grin, "Well now, I see you agreed to come alone…good, so a demon really can play by the rules. I'm glad to see you were listening…because our evening alone together should be something shared just between us."

"Enough talk…" Krad growled and calmly pulled out a feather glaring at the target.

"Slow down there tiger, I can see you like it fast, Hm?" The demon chuckled and Krad waited to throw the feather for a bit longer, "As you can see I detest physical violence…I prefer the legendary tactic of mind games…it's no secret right?" The demon asked cocking a smirk.

"Hmph…could have fooled me…with the condition you put Dark in the other night…I had figured you for a barbaric monster." Krad retorted and the smile on the demon's face lessened a bit.

"So you admired my handy work…a one time thing I assure you…you must know how difficult it is to get the disgusting color of blood off of white clothes." The demon added sending a sharp pain through Krad's chest. That was a low blow, to bring up ancient history of a time when Dark's blood often stained the ice demon's hands. "But then again…were I not in the form of Dark's mortal enemy…I most likely wouldn't have resorted to slowly breaking the Kaitou's bones one by one…or have been driven to relish in his agonizing screams of pain. Hmph, talk about barbaric…I almost lost it for a moment there, I had the most unkindly urge to-" But before the demon could finish he had to dodge a fast spear of magic from the angered angel. "Oh…did I strike a nerve?" He asked with a smirk, pleased at the ice demon's reaction.

"Next time I won't miss!" Krad growled and another ball of magic formed in his hand.

"Heh, I beg to differ…" The demon laughed and his hold on Krad's head resumed causing the angel to groan and the magic in his hand vanished. "Hahaha! Not so tough now are you, Krad Hikari?" Suddenly a lance made of dark magic struck from behind the demon, it skewed right through his chest, but who?

"Now that's just not fair is it? I'm afraid I can't let this continue any longer…"

This form was dead, and the demon quickly dissolved the lance and reverted to the form of Adel. The kaitou! Dark was here, and with a smirk on his face of satisfied pleasure to take the demon by surprise. But how? He never sensed the thief's presence nor did he see him, though seeing him would have helped little considering he was wearing and all black jump suit with a black trench coat on top. Dark slowly landed and crossed his arms as the demon gave his full attention to him. "You…"

"What? Did you actually think I was going to let you get way for the other night?" Dark asked with a laugh.

"Grrr…" The demon growled and shot a look back to the recovered and smirking Krad, "I said to come alone!"

"Yeah…well guess a demon can't play by the rules…sorry to disappoint you." Krad said with a devious grin.

"Grrr…Damn you!" The demon growled and chanted a teleport spell…but nothing happened, "What?"

"Oh yeah about that…" Dark said with a nervous laugh, "Sorry that I was late Krad, but I had a wonderful idea about putting up a barrier spell, ya know so that all three of us get to spend some quality time without being interrupted." Then Dark turned and glared his eyes at the demon, "Like a cage if you will…where no one comes in…and no one goes out…"

For once the demon felt an extreme amount of annoyance and fear. Taking on the two angels at once was something he wanted to avoid at all costs. But now it seemed he had no choice…very well, he saved a special identity just for such an occasion. "Then what are you waiting for…come and get me." The demon said returning the smirk to the kaitou.

"With pleasure!" Dark yelled and lunched himself at the demon and suddenly as Dark tackled him, the demon wrapped his arms around the thief and the two fell from the roof of the four story building, "WOAH!"

"DARK!" Krad screamed as the two fell to the long drop. He ran to the edge but suddenly two black winged figures shut upwards in a frenzy of energy blasts and punches. The two were moving so fast and in such a blur that Krad couldn't make out what the hell it was!

"ARG!" Dark grunted as a blast clipped the side of his shoulder, then counter striking the demon in the face with a right hook, sending him sprawling backwards and Dark blasted his own magic at him, only for the demon to do the same, canceling the spells out. "Damn you!"

"Heh, you first Kaitou!" The demon smirked and the demon tackled Dark in mid air and the two went into another sharp drop, resulting in the two pulling away at the last second and taking off in two different directions as they almost met face to face with the roof.

Two Darks! No way! One Dark was more then enough! Krad thought to himself as he gazed at the two winged thieves floating in the air glaring at each other.

_'But…which one is the real Dark?' Satoshi asked awe struck at the sight._

'How should I know! The demon makes and exact copy of the original! Grrr…this is annoying!' Krad growled looking up at the two Phantom Thieves.

Suddenly, at the exact same time, the two Darks clashed together again at full speed. Each pulling the same moves as the other, rotating between punches and energy blasts as before.

The real Dark seemed to have the upper hand for a moment before a hand punch to the gut sent him sprawling to the ground and hit hard with a crash. He sent out a loud scream of pain as he hit the hard surface, but it was short lived as the demon dove down and sent a blast of dark energy into him at close range.

Dark's head was swimming in pain as he was roughly picked up by his neck and tossed onto the ground a few feet away. Thank God his wings weren't broken or he'd had never escaped the next and most deadly blast of energy aimed at his head! Quickly Dark rolled to his side and with a mighty flap zoomed back into the air sending his own attack into the demon hitting him head on and sending the monster head first into the ground.

"How'd you like that, Demon?" Dark growled and whipped a small amount of blood from his mouth with his sleeve.

"Arg…" The other Dark grunted and slowly got to his feet looking back up at the other Dark, "I don't know…you tell me…DEMON!" He screamed and sent another blast up at the winged figure in the air.

"What!" Dark exclaimed and quickly used a feather to split the blast in two, 'Demon! He called me the demon?' He thought quickly to himself.

"Krad, what are you waiting for? Finish it!" The Dark on the ground called out to Krad who looked on at the two in confusion.

_'He's trying to make Krad attack you!' Daisuke exclaimed from within._

"WHAT! Wait Krad, I'm the real Dark! He's the fake!" The Dark in the air exclaimed pointing down to the Dark on the ground.

"What! Krad don't be fooled, if you attack me you'll hurt Daisuke! Kill him!" The second Dark yelled and stared at Krad with a pleading face.

"YOU DAMN DIRTY DEMON! DON'T YOU DARE BRING DAISUKE INTO THIS!" The Dark in the air roared and landed next to the other Dark. "Krad if you never believed me once in your life believe that I am the real Dark!"

"How dare you! Krad you know that he's a liar! Don't make the mistake and kill the wrong one! Krad please!" The other Dark countered.

"Ah…" Krad groaned and stepped back a bit, and the two Dark pointed at each other at the same time.

"KRAD KILL HIM!" They both shouted at the same time.

'Which one is real?' Krad screamed in his head, 'If I hit the wrong one…then Dark and Daisuke's lives are in danger! What if I just hit them both? Grrr, damn this conscience! No…I have to choose…Damn it!' Krad stepped back a moment and pulled out a deadly feather…he planned to take out one of these Dark's with one hit…but which one?

"Krad! What are you waiting for?" the one on the left screamed, "You know I'm the real one!"

Suddenly, Krad's gaze turned to the Dark on the right with a glare.

'AH! Daisuke he's gonna hit us!' Dark screamed in his head with a worried look on his face.

_'Do something! Um…anything! I know, do something that the real demon would never do!' Daisuke shouted in a panic._

'Something…the real demon…would never do?' Dark asked curiously then smirked.

"Okay, go ahead Krad…shoot me!" The Dark on the right said crossing his arms and smiling.

Krad looked over at him in shock and amazement.

"Wha?" The other Dark said also surprised at the action.

"Go ahead! You haven't been able to kill me, let alone hit me, over the past three hundred years! So go ahead, shoot!" Dark said still smirking and tapping his foot, "What, lose your nerve? Come on I dare ya! I'll even give you a clear shot, even you can't miss this!" Dark said and opened his arms wide to make himself a nearly impossible to miss target.

_'DARK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?' Daisuke screamed in Dark's head, 'I SAID DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY, NOT PISS HIM OFF!'_

And indeed, Krad was pissed off.

_'EVEN IF HE DOES BELIEVE YOU'RE THE REAL ONE, THEN HE'LL HIT YOU ANYWAY FOR BEING AN ASS!' Daisuke ranted and Dark cringed a bit._

"Ow! Daisuke could you keep it down!" Dark shouted out loud and clenched his fists again, "AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M BEING AN ASS?" Dark demanded seeming to be having a shouting contest with himself.

Suddenly Dark felt the spray of warm blood on his face. Krad had struck…he really hit him! Wait…this wasn't his blood…Quickly Dark turned to the other Dark beside him that was now floored to the ground and had a large hole in his head.

"Eww…" Dark cringed and backed away from the corpus a bit, "Krad, that's disgusting! Could you have possibly thought of a more barbaric way to…ACK!" Dark stopped suddenly as he felt a sharp blow to his stomach, "AH!" he yelled and fell to his knees clutching his stomach, "H-Hey…what the hell was…that for?" He gasped trying to recover the air that was knocked out of him.

"That was for being an ass…Dark Mousy…" Krad growled and glared down at Dark whom he was confident was the real Dark after that stunt he pulled…because only the real Dark would have been brave enough to taunt Krad to actually hit him! And only Dark could piss him off enough to do so without killing him.

"Owie...WELL I WAS ONLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T HIT THE WRONG ONE!" Dark yelled trying to stand, in vein. 'Damn Krad threw a mean punch!'

"Dark…I knew who the real Dark was the moment that one asked me to kill you quickly. So the taunts weren't necessary…" Krad said much to Dark's amazement. Then a smile crossed Krad's face, "But I will say, I do appreciate you giving me an excuse to knock the crap out of you. I'd been wanted to do that for a while." Krad said with an evil grin.

"Owie, damn you Krad…that really hurt!" Dark said now able to stand but still clutching his stomach and wincing in pain.

"Oh, you're such a baby…I was even kind enough to hold back on that punch…" Krad said with a sigh.

'THAT WAS HOLDING BACK?' Dark shouted in his head, 'If that was holding back, then what was full strength? PUNCHING A HOLE THROUGH ME?'

"You're hopeless…" Krad sighed and shuck his head.

"I couldn't agree more…" Suddenly, Krad felt a sharp blast of magic to his chest and was thrown backwards, "But quite clever Dark…I am to say the least, impressed…" The false Adel said and grabbed Dark by the throat holding him up in the air cutting off the blood and oxygen supply to Dark's brain…but due to the punch to the stomach, he really wasn't recovered enough to fight back effectively. He grabbed the sorcerer's arm in an attempt to throw him off of him, but this remained only an unsuccessful attempt.

"You two have been in my way since you first entered the Realm of Shadows and killed Verruckt…I was this close…This close, to coming to this world with an identity! With a body of my own that I was so close to taking over! My power is nothing like it once was without a body…so now Dark…" The demon began and suddenly the same paralyzing jolt of energy he had felt the first time he'd fought the demon surged through his body once more, "I think I'll take yours!"

_'DARK!' Daisuke screamed from within the Thief._

'No…Daisuke…stay…away!' Dark demanded pushing Daisuke farther away from his consciousness hoping to protect him.

The hold on Dark's throat never ceased, nor did the painful energy that was paralyzing his body…but the demon appeared in his vision less and less as he felt him seeping inside of him, WHAT THE HELL WAS THIS! Dark wanted to scream but couldn't find a voice to speak with.

Then, all at once, the hold on his mind and body released! Something had pushed the thing off of him and out of him. Dark fell to the ground coughing and trying to force his eyes to focus; the thing was gone! Quickly and despite the mild headache, Dark jumped up and turned to his right and found Krad lying on his side on the ground unmoving. Krad? Had Krad knocked the thing off of him? Wait…that thing was in the possession stage…which means…

"KRAD!" Dark screamed and ran to him quickly kneeling down beside him, "Krad!" He shouted again and as soon as he put his hands on Krad's shoulders he felt a shock of energy push his backwards and he fell back catching himself with his hands. "Krad…no…no way! YOU DIDN'T!" Dark shouted as Krad's body slowly began to move.

Dark felt a small ounce of hope swell up inside of him that vanished as soon as Krad slowly stood up and turned to him. His eyes…no…those weren't Krad's eyes…these were blood red eyes, these were the demon's eyes. Krad had… he really did it…he must have made contact with the demon when it tried to merge with Dark. The demon was inside Krad!

"Grrr…GIVE HIM BACK!" Dark screamed and jumped to his feet, "GIVE HIM BACK NOW!"

The demon merely smirked and turned to admire this new form, a form of new flesh and blood, he finally had a permanent identity, and it was Krad Hikari. "No…I don't think I will…" The demon replied calmly and turned back to Dark with a smile. "I rather like this form…the form that defeated Verruckt…it's quite powerful. And this time…" He said as his grin turned into an evil scowl, "There's no need to open the portal to the world of light…which means, there's no need for you." He said and raised his hand sending a blast of ice magic towards the thief.

Dark, already enraged at this demon acting as though Krad's body was his own personal possession, dodged swiftly to the side never taking his eyes from the demon. Then quickly took to the air to avoid another encounter with harsh demon magic.

"You know the reason I didn't take your body earlier?" The demon asked and confidently took a step towards Dark, "Because I wanted to see the full extent of your abilities…to see if you were a more worthy host then your other half. But…" The demon smirked starring up at Dark, "when I saw how easy it was to deceive and break you…I decided it best to destroy you."

Dark glared down at the fake seraph and growled under his breath and landed swiftly, "Give…Krad back now…and this is the last time I'm going to ask you nicely…" Dark said dangerously and created a spell of his own in his hand.

"And I already said…I won't." The demon laughed, "And you know what else, Dark Mousy? This is the exact same way I was able to take over Verruckt…" He said with a smile playing on his angelic face.

"What?" Dark asked glaring at the false Krad.

"That's right…Verruckt summoned me from within the painting's fabrication…the center of the my prison that the two mages guarded for centuries lied within the depths of Galseran. So in an attempt to stop the war so he could be with his precious Xilef…he formulated a plan to free me and use my powers to take control of the war and stop it. But…that didn't go very well…" He replied and stepped a bit closer to Dark who was backing up a bit, "Xilef found out and tried to stop him…but he was too late…I was free and the first available body I saw was Xilef. But Verruckt, the fool he was, stepped in front…and I over took him instead. Ironic isn't it? Because after that I did end up taking Xilef's life after all…" He said and laughed again, "Life is a cruel and endless story…history always repeating itself…so you know what that means Dark?" The demon asked now only and inch from Dark's face, and before Dark had time to react and take to the air again, "That means as Verruckt took Xilef's life…" Suddenly a blade of ice formed in Krad's hand and drove itself right through Dark's gut, "I'm going to take yours…"

"Ah…" Dark gasped barely as his body shock a moment with surprise trying to take in what just happened. Dark's side began to bleed heavily with blood, and it hurt even worse as the demon in Krad's body yanked the sword out roughly.

This wasn't good…Dark's vision was starting to go…but one thing was for sure…his blood lose must have been extreme, but at least…Krad was starting to fight back again…trying to take control.

The demon dropped the sword and it vanished in a stream of light as the demon grabbed his head. "You…fool…it's futile…stop it and give up!" The demon growled as he began to step away from Dark who fell to his knees and held the wound to his gut with his hand.

_'Dark…Dark quick, cast a healing spell or something! Dark, Dark can you hear me?' Daisuke screamed franticly._

'A…healing spell…right…uh…my head hurts…I…can't remember the spell…' Dark said mentally through his head trying to stay awake. "May…meine…meine Wunde…h-heilen…" Dark said trying his best to remember the spell. He'd said the correct incantation he thought, but he didn't have enough energy left in him to concentrate. Then he felt the warm feel of magic flowing through him and his wound slowly closing. '…Huh?'

_'Just a little more…don't worry Dark, you'll be okay!' Daisuke said using his own energy to power the spell, "We can close the wound but…I can't replace the blood lose…we have to retreat!' Daisuke said as if it caused him great pain at the mere thought of leaving Krad and Satoshi in the hands of this demon._

'What?' Dark's senses slowly snapped back into place and he began to recover a bit as the magic flowed into him, 'NO! I won't leave Krad like this! I'm going to get him back!' Dark protested and the last phases of the spell began to mend what was left of the hole in him.

_'I don't want to either! But we don't have a choice!' Daisuke repeated sounded more firm on the matter, 'you've lost too much blood, we can't take the chance! Next time we might not be able to heal you!'_

'AND WE COULD LOSE THEM BOTH FOREVER IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING NOW!' Dark screamed back to Daisuke and with much effort stood back up, 'I'm staying! I'm not abandoning Krad now or ever!' Dark said firmly as he could see that the demon was slowly regaining control over Krad. 'We still have a chance…Daisuke…let me use some of your energy again…'

_'What?' Daisuke asked confused at such a request._

'I can't beat him out here…I have to go…in there…' He said looking over at Krad who seemed to be holding the demon back for a while as the two fought for control. 'If I can get enough energy, I can go inside of Krad's mind and destroy the demon from the inside. Please Daisuke, this may be our last chance!' Dark pleaded.

_'…But…But Dark…in your condition….' Daisuke began only to be cut off by Dark._

'Don't worry about me!' Dark said firmly, 'I'm the Great Dark Mousy…and besides, in my astral form I can recover faster and aren't hindered with the restrictions of a mortal body. So please Daisuke…if Krad goes then Satoshi does too! Do you want that?' Dark asked and seemed to have struck a nerve with his host.

_Daisuke never wanted Satoshi to get hurt…and it hadn't accrued to him till now that Satoshi was in just as much danger as Krad was. If they lost Krad then… 'Alright Dark…just make sure that you come back okay!' Daisuke begged as he finally gave in._

Dark smirked and began to approach the demon that was to busy fighting with Krad, to acknowledge the Phantom Thief closing the distance between them. 'Thank you Daisuke…I promise…'

Dark stood firmly as Daisuke's energy flowed through him as he concentrated on the spell, "Ich mochte helfen…" Then the Phantom Thief placed his hand on Krad's arm and suddenly was gone.

Notes from the Author:

Oh…sniffles you guys are great! **Sniffles** And to say thanks for being so understanding, I'm uploading a long 10-page chapter for ya! SKWEEEEEEEEEEE! We're coming into the home stretch of the Fic and I'll get to work on chapter 12 ASAP! Thanks for commenting and reading and here ya go! Chapter 11 of Distance number 3! ENJOY!!

_**General Kitty Girl**_

P.S. SKWEEEEEEEEEEE!! More chocolate! **Dances** This'll keep me going a while! THANKS EVERYONE!!


	12. Forever in Darkness

**Chapter 12:**

After casting the spell and touching Krad's arm, Dark had vanished. And now, a young red haired boy stood over the body of the white seraphic angel that lay unmoving at his feet. He starred at the body worriedly…there were now four beings inside fighting for control…he just hoped that Dark was able to make a difference and return control to it's rightful owners.

"Dark…please be safe…"

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The inside of Krad's mind was a battlefield, the area was nearly pitch black but two distinct figures could be made out. The white clad angel, fighting a black armored demon. Though the two looked tired and exhausted, Krad seemed to be more spent then the image of Verruckt, Krad looked as though he were drained physically and mentally.

"What's the point Krad? Your precious Kaitou is dead…and what's worse…you killed him with your own hands!" The demon laughed as he looked at the grief stricken Krad, "There's nothing left to fight for, so give up!"

Krad didn't waver and his wings snapped open again, "I'll kill you for what you've done to Dark…I'LL MAKE YOU BEG FOR MERCY!" Krad yelled and took to the air again as the fighting resumed.

When Krad had come between Dark and the demon, he had locked Satoshi deep inside his mind so the demon would be unable to get to him. He would rather Satoshi be oblivious and safe, then be able to see the fight between the two magical beings and be in grave danger.

Krad mounted another blast at the demon and then came down with a countering right hook, however the demon had taken the blast and followed up with his own before Krad could connect with the punch. The angel screamed and was thrown quickly to the ground, crashing painfully with the hard surface. This was it…even with the small amount of energy he had left, the creature was still stronger.

"You know…you give in way to easily my dear…"

Dark? No, it couldn't be! He saw the sword run right through him…he saw the precious blood pour from the thief and cover the ground and his clothes…but…then where was that voice coming from. Slowly Krad opened his eyes to be starring into purple. DARK!

"…D-Dark…" Krad asked barely able to form words, as he looked at Dark… the real and alive Dark, kneeling down beside him.

"Yep! The one and only, as you well know." Dark said with his usual cocky smile. "Now listen…you lay there for a bit and I'll take over from here okay?" Dark finished with a smile back at the angel then stood up to face the demon in the air who also seemed shocked at the thief's presence. "Oh and Krad…when I'm finished with this guy…you have a promise to keep…got it?" Dark said slightly turning to the angel with a devious smirk.

"…Heh…" Krad chuckled a bit; he had remembered the promise he had made to Dark back at the Niwa's house, "Yeah…but only if you promise to end this quick... I'm rather missing my body…"

"Heh, alright then! I'll be looking forward to it!" Dark laughed and then took off into the air.

The demon looked at Dark with a mixture of confused, shocked, and annoyed feelings. "Do you ever die?" He asked with a growl.

"Hmm…well, Krad's been asking the same question for three hundred years now…and we still haven't figured the answer out. Heh, guess that means I'm a tough one to kill huh?" Dark asked with a cocky grin.

"Hmph, guess so…well, this ends now Dark Mousy…" The demon growled and flapped his mighty demon wings in a gesture of malice, "I have enough energy left to dispense of you!"

"You're all talk…show me action!" Dark laughed and in a flash launched an energy blast at the demon causing him to take a quick and painful evasive maneuver that landed him square in front of a devastating punch to the face from the thief that sent him sprawling backwards and almost losing his balance. "To slow!" Dark said and came back with yet a third consecutive blow to the gut as he filled his hand with magic and planted it hard on the demon's center.

"AH!" The demon screamed and fell out of the air like a stone.

"WOOT! The Phantom Thief is back in action!" Dark shouted in exhilaration as he gazed happily upon the sight of the fallen Demon, "Hope that didn't hurt to much, you look a little beat up there demon."

'Damn him! He dares to mock me?' The demon shouted in his head, 'This time I'll make sure to kill him…and this time he STAYS DEAD!' The demon rose to his feet and his wings snapped open with the sound of a whip cracking. In an instant he was in the air and going on a one-on-one with Dark.

The demon was sorely out matched at the moment, after taking on Krad for so long and then there was the lack of power left in him from the strain of merging with the angel…Dark had the upper hand at everything! Speed, power, agility…it was as if he were fighting at full strength! This wasn't happening! HE COULDN'T LOSE!

Dark came down again with another punch and nearly snapped the demon's neck in two with the force of the punch. The upper cut connected with the chin of the demon and his head tossed backwards like dead weight. Then taking advantage of the demon's current state of immobilization, Dark continued the assault with a sharp energy blast that ripped through the demon's left wing causing it to shriek in agony and nosedive crashing into the ground on his back. Dark had this fight in the bag, there was no way this thing was coming back after an attack like that. It was over, and however much Dark would have loved to tear this thing apart piece by piece…Krad had said he'd only keep his promise if Dark finished this quick. So without farther a due, Dark landed on the ground over the creature and raised his hand preparing for the final blow.

There was a long amount of silence between the doomed creature and his angelic executioner.

"…Despite all of the things you've done to Krad, Satoshi, Daisuke, myself…Xilef and even Verruckt…" Dark said and his face turned serious and dark, "I'm going to end your suffering quickly…" He said after a while as the demon's eyes fell on him, "So when you're in hell…at least remember…that I was an angel of mercy…"

"…Haha…Hahaha…Hahahahahahaha!" The demon laughed, though Dark didn't move from his position over the demon. "…You think that destroying me with your magic will end my life once and for all…I…I am made of magic, Dark…and magic cannot be destroyed…" He said with another spine chilling laugh.

"No…but you can be sealed away…" Krad said as he stood behind Dark.

Dark turned a bit to look at Krad, he was a mess…cuts and bruises everywhere and his once pure white clothing stained with blood. And in his right hand, the seraph held a feather, and the demon's eyes widened.

"You're…you're going to seal me away?" The demon asked uncomfortably shifting under Krad's hard gaze. "No…you can't…you…you have nothing to seal me in!" He shouted as Krad's gaze and decision never wavered.

"…Krad?" Dark asked quickly pondering the angel's intentions.

"…" Krad was silent for a while before lifting the feather in his hand and began to channel energy into it, "…I can't let you continue to ruin people's lives…no matter what…" Krad said and Dark stared at him in shock and confusion.

"Krad…you don't have enough energy to seal this…what are you doing?" Dark asked quickly.

Krad wasn't listening; his mind was set, only he could seal something that was inside of him. Though Dark could use magic in this realm, only Krad could expel the demon within him. And if he didn't do something now, the demon would recover and their last chance to stop it would be gone.

"Rückkehr zum Dunkelheit…" Krad began casting the spell and the feather glowed with a deep blood red color as did the Demon, the target of the spell.

"No! You can't! STOP!" The demon screamed as the spell continued.

What was Krad thinking! Doing this would kill him! Sealing spells took enormous energy, that's why both Emiko and Daiiki-sama always had to perform the spells together. But Krad was doing this solo, and the look on his face told all, he was going to finish this spell if it killed him!

"FÜr… FÜr immer…" Krad's power was becoming shaky, but he continued despite his body's pleas to stop, "Falle im dem Dunkelheit!" Suddenly the crimson aura of the feather exploded with magic and Dark was thrown backwards, he was barely able to stop himself in time before he too was knocked to the ground.

"Krad!" Dark yelled, but he could not hear nor see the angel any longer as the enormous amount of red light encircled the him and the demon. The roaring sound of magic rang in his ears as the sealing magic began to take full effect, then just as quickly as it appeared, the red light blinded Dark as it flashed white…then vanished.

A moment later, Dark slowly opened his eyes…Krad was there and still standing…holding the feather at his side. The once beautiful white feather had forever become a blood red color as the malice spirit inside of it was forever sealed within its depths. Krad had used his own feather to trap the demon, and created a permanent seal over it so that it would never escape into the world of light again. But the angel didn't stay standing for long…suddenly the angel collapsed to the ground exhausted and spent.

"KRAD!" In an instant Dark was there and quickly dropped down to beside the seraph and lifted him up holding him, "Hey Krad, Krad wake up!" Dark yelled over and over again.

He was still alive…but his light was dimming faster and faster. He'd used all of his energy. Stupid, stupid Krad! Dark repeated over and over again in his head. Krad's skin felt like ice, and his eyes were closed…his body felt limp and lifeless. Then, he did the only thing he could think of to keep the Seraph form forever fading into the darkness…He bent his head low and kissed Krad on the lips.

They felt so cold, but still felt soft and smooth. Dark held his chaste kiss for a long while, and slowly Krad's skin felt warmer…Dark's energy now flowed through the Seraph's veins and pulled him back from eternal sleep. However, Dark couldn't hold the kiss forever, though he would have liked to, he was depleting his energy supply to nearly half now in giving it to the angel. But it was worth it, Dark's eyes opened wide as he felt his kiss returned by lush warm lips. He was alive!

Dark pulled away hesitantly to breath and was panting hard still holding the seraph, "W-Welcome back…" Dark said cocking a small smile as Krad looked up at him still tired as well.

"…Y-Yeah…" Krad replied and tried taking in slow deep breaths, "It's…good to…be back…"

Suddenly Krad felt himself being pulled into a tight and close embrace, "If you ever…ever consider doing that again…" Dark began with an angered tone, "I swear, I'll bring you back to kill you myself!" He growled and tightened his hold on the angel.

Krad looked a bit surprised at the action…but smiled inside and returned the embrace, "Yeah…deal…" He said and Dark chuckled a bit, and they held the embrace for a few moments longer.

Suddenly Dark's form began to fade, he'd used up a lot of energy and had spent to long from his host. Krad felt Dark's hold lessen and he pulled back from the thief whose image continued to fade in and out.

"Well…guess I'd better go huh?" Dark said disappointed at not being able to hold his other self longer.

"…Yeah…I bet Daisuke's pretty worried…" Krad replied sadly at the thought of the Thief leaving.

"…Well…guess I'll see you later huh?" Dark replied after a moment. Suddenly, Dark spread his wings then vanished leaving Krad alone in the darkest portion of his mind.

"Yeah…you and I still have a promise to keep…don't we…"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Daisuke looked down at Krad's body that was now slowly beginning to breath normally again, suddenly his heart leapt forward as Krad's image faded and golden hair melted away into blue as Satoshi was left laying on the ground still seeming to be asleep.

"Ah! Satoshi!" Daisuke exclaimed and knelt down beside him before feeling a terrible, yet comforting burning sensation in his chest.

_'Sorry I'm late Daisuke. Got a little tied up with something.' Dark spoke with a smile._

'DARK!' Daisuke yelled inside and hugged the presence on the thief back inside of him once again. 'You're back!'

_'Wow! You missed me that much?' Dark asked with a chuckle, 'Yes I'm back, I promised you didn't I?'_

'Yeah you did…' Daisuke said with a smile, then quickly turned back towards Satoshi, 'But…the demon…what happened?' Daisuke asked curiously.

_'Ah he was no match for the great Phantom Thief Dark Mousy! Goodness Daisuke, have you no faith in me?' Dark asked sarcastically hurt, 'don't worry; he won't be around any more. But um…I'm really spent…and so if Krad as you could imagine…so be a dear and try not to wake me up for like…oh a month or so…Kay?' Dark asked with a yawn._

'Hehe, you got it Dark…sweet dreams.' Daisuke finished and felt Dark retreat to the back of Daisuke's mind. "Good to have you back…Dark…"

"Hn…" Satoshi moaned as he came back into consciousness.

Daisuke looked back down at Satoshi and smiled at him as blue eyes opened. "Hi Satoshi-kun. Welcome back." Daisuke said happily.

"Welcome…back? Oh…yeah…" Satoshi said remembering that the last time he and Daisuke had seen each other face to face was the day they'd spent together after returning home from the World of Shadows. "Hmph…it's good to see you too Daisuke…"

Daisuke's smile broadened and he gently moved the stray strains of hair from Satoshi's face causing him to blush a bit, "How do you feel?" He asked comfortingly.

Satoshi looked up at Daisuke and his heart pounded a bit, "Oh…fine…I think…" Satoshi replied and slowly sat himself up and faced Daisuke, "A little tired…but I'll live… thanks. How are you feeling?" He asked returning a slight smile.

"Okay, Dark's back now…so I feel a lot better…but he's exhausted so at least it'll be a bit quiet for a while." He said with a soft laugh.

"Yeah…Krad's out cold too…but I'm glad it's over…" Satoshi said speaking for both himself and his inner angel.

"Yeah…me too…" Daisuke said with a sigh of relief.

Silence held between the two for a while before Daisuke broke the peace with a smile and stood up, "Let's get out of here. There's no point in staying up here any longer…right?" Daisuke asked turning to Satoshi to help him up.

Satoshi nodded and took Daisuke's hand; this was really the first time they'd touched like this and it sent a hint of red up to Satoshi's face. "Right…" Satoshi replied and stood up in front of the adorable Niwa.

"Right…" Daisuke repeated and blushed a bit himself, this was the first time he was really alone with Satoshi. But he didn't mind at all.

"Um…but Daisuke…" Satoshi began and red eyes looked up to meet blue.

"Yes?" Daisuke asked curiously.

"Um…this may sound odd but…how do we get down from here?" Satoshi asked referring to the fact they were on the roof of a four-story museum in the middle of the night with no conventional way of getting down that either of them could see.

"AH! Oh my God! That's right!" Daisuke said as the thought suddenly struck him. They were stranded on the roof! "Oh Geez! The least they could have done was fall asleep after putting us back on the ground!" Daisuke yelled and grabbed his head. "Darn it!"

Satoshi chuckled, "That's okay…I don't mind waiting up here until they wake up…" Satoshi said putting his hands in his pockets. "It's actually kind of nice out here…don't you think?" Satoshi asked looking up at the sky full of stars that reflected so beautifully in his piercing blue eyes.

"Huh?" Daisuke replied and looked up at Satoshi who was preoccupied with watching the sky above them. 'Yeah…it is beautiful…' Daisuke thought to himself, 'and it's even more beautiful because, you're here…Satoshi-kun…"

Suddenly Daisuke felt a pair of strong arms wrap around him gently and the blush on his face increased when he looked up to see that Satoshi was holding him from behind.

"It's kind of cold out here…so I thought I'd keep you warm…Daisuke…" The boys name rolled off of his tongue like wine to Daisuke and he suddenly relaxed and sank back into the embrace.

"Yeah… Thank you…Satoshi…"

Notes from the Author:

WOOOOT!! DIE DEMON DIE!! MMWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAA!! Aww even snuck in some fluffy-goodness for you all there! Fear not! We've got one more chapter to go, but expect it tomorrow; I think I'll spend the rest of the dad with my dad! So till next time, c-ya later! And thanks for reading and commenting! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

_**General Kitty Girl**_


	13. My Angel

Chapter 13: 

'Der Traum', a truly remarkable Hikari art work, a dazzling necklace that held a precious gemstone from its silver chain. The gem was a beautiful diamond with a magnificent etching of feathers on it, truly something that came out of a dream. The Hikari's had always been a truly gifted line of artists, painters, and sculptures, ect. However, whatever they created had a secret magical force of its own, perhaps that was why they were so valued in the art world? For whatever the reason, people came far and wide to view these beautiful works…and the Phantom Thief always came to steal it a moment later. And perhaps this is why the prized piece of the wealthiest collection in the remote castle located on the hills of the countryside far from the city, was now in the possession of the thief and dashing down the halls of the grand manor.

The thief wearing a black coat and jump suit held the necklace in admiration and pride, his latest theft had been a success! Executed flawlessly and to the most supreme perfection, the Phantom Thief truly lived up to his name. He ran unopposed out onto the roof as the pathetic security chased him. What fools, to think they could catch the Phantom thief! There was only one person in the world worthy enough to catch him, and he had yet to make his appearance tonight.

With a final smirk back to the guards, Dark spread his large jet-black wings and took off into the night, with the infuriated shouts form the guards calling out after him. This was too easy; honestly, thieving was becoming no fun anymore. Without the commander around, the police were Shepard less sheep! Hah!

Suddenly a cold presence made his spine shiver; only one thing on earth could give him that sensation. A smirk crossed the Phantom Thief's face as he swerved to the right quickly to dodge a sudden ball of ice that widely came flying through the air from behind. Now the true chase was on! The exhilaration and thrill he'd been looking forward too all night had finally arrived on the graceful flight of white wings. Dark quickened his pace getting as far ahead of the demon as possible, if Krad wanted to catch him, he'd have to try harder then this.

Then without warning Dark felt the demon's presence closing in fast, a haste spell, the angel must be using magic to make himself faster. Dark gave a disappointed sigh, as their lovely chase would be coming to an end soon. Quickly the thief went into a dive and down into the darkened landscape below. As he had hoped, the white angel followed and was stunned when Dark had stopped suddenly in the air and turned to face him with a look of mischievous triumph on his face. Krad barely caught himself in time before coming to close to the oddly behaving thief and stopped.

"Hmph. Let's see what you can do without your magic." Dark said with a hint of amusement in his voice and held out the pendent he'd recently stolen.

Krad looked at him confused and raised an eyebrow to the thief in interest.

"If you can take the pendent from me without using magic…you win and you can keep it…" Dark said with a shrug and smirk.

"And what if I am unable too?" Krad asked crossing his arms skeptically.

"Hehe, then I win…and I get to keep the pendent, and you…" Dark said narrowing his eyes and his smirk widening. Then he took the pendent and placed it in his back pocket slyly, "And if you want to win…you're gonna have to search me, Krad my dear."

Krad looked at him a bit in shock at the sudden and odd set of rules, but didn't have time to think as the thief took off into the darkness. Krad quickly looked up and darted after the thief, annoyed at the lack of notice that the game was to start…but he didn't mind…this just made the challenge more interesting.

Dark was nearly impossible to find at night, damn him and his black outfit! Krad decided that flying into the woods nearby, where Dark had most likely gone, was a trap and flew higher above. Taking a high altitude then swooping down at the first sight of movement below was the best solution; there was no way Dark was escaping tonight. Krad took notice of what appeared to be a calm river running through the forest below, and it could be easily seen from above, so if Dark tried to move there, he was toast.

Krad was a patient hunter; after all he had been around for three hundred years, what was a few more minutes of waiting to capture Dark Mousy? He would have answered this question had he had time to think, for what he didn't realize was that Dark had anticipated that Krad wouldn't be foolish enough to search the forest from the ground of an invisible thief in the dark. Arms wrapped around the seraph from behind and surprised the blonde…not in the least.

"I'll not fall for the same trick twice Dark Mousy!" Krad said with a laugh and suddenly grabbed Dark's wrist and whipped him around quickly to in front of him.

Dark was in shock! He'd never expected Krad to know what he was planning, and now his face was less then a few inches from his own and Krad held him tightly in front of him.

"I win…" Krad said with a smile as he pulled the necklace out of Dark's back pocket. But the thief just smirked.

"Perhaps…" Dark replied and tightly wrapped his arms around Krad's waist pulling him even closer, "But I've still got you." Dark smirk, and then suddenly folded his wings and the sudden addition of weight on Krad caused the two to fall quickly towards the river below.

"DARK!" Krad shouted and then the two fell into the peaceful and silent river causing the cool water to splash loudly and disturbed the peaceful atmosphere of the scenery.

The water was cold, extremely cold, but to the ice demon comfortable…well, the temperature at least. Suddenly Krad resurfaced taking in a large gasp of air. The river was deeper then he'd thought, the rim of the water came up to his collarbone, almost engulfing his neck as he stood in place trying to catch his breath. He didn't appear to be injured…but when he got a hold of Dark, he'd make sure he was! Curse him! Now he was soaking wet in the middle of nowhere! Well…at least I have the neck- THE NECKLACE! It was gone! Krad quickly looked around, had he dropped it into the river? It was no longer in his hand…where could it have gone?

"Heh, looking for this?"

Krad turned around to behind him, and less then three feet away was Dark Mousy, also soaking wet, and twirling the silver necklace on his finger mockingly. Dark unlike Krad was standing in much less deeper part of the water, for the slivery rim barely came to his waist. Krad glared at him, how dare he! Drop him into a river then mock him after stealing back an already stolen necklace?

"Hehe looks like…I win this time Krad my pet." Dark laughed and grinned deviously at the demon that was now walking over to the more shallow part of the river that Dark stood on, though he stopped about a foot from Dark.

"So it would seem…and don't call me 'pet'…" Krad growled and continued to glare at the thief, who was still giving him an odd look.

"Ah-ha! So you acknowledge my victory, Krad my sweet?" Dark asked taunting the now shivering ice demon as a soft breeze blew.

"Grrr…fine you win Dark! And enough with the pet names!" Krad yelled and grabbed his arms attempting to stop the involuntary shiver.

Dark smiled and finally closed the distance between the two. Krad averted his face down to the water still hugging his arms as the shivering slowly ceased. And then felt a warm arm wrap around his waist pulling him closer into a warm figure, and then a hand pulled his wet face up to meet a pair of wine colored amethyst eyes.

"What's wrong? You're just as beautiful dry as you are soaking wet." Dark said comfortingly though with a slight chuckle. Krad blushed a bit and looked down again hoping that Dark didn't notice…but the thief had and thought Krad looked absolutely adorable with he's shy.

A gentle hand swept through Krad's wet hair, his pony had fallen out when he had hit the water, and now, long golden hair swept along the surface of the silver water making his reflection glow like a true angel's. "Beautiful…" Dark whispered admiring the angel still holding him close with an arm around his waist. Slowly Dark leaned forward and kissed Krad's forehead lightly, causing the angel to look up…exactly the reaction Dark was hoping for. "See…there's no need to be shy." Dark said teasingly, "I think you look rather cute with a tint of red on your cheeks."

"Ah! Who said I was being sh-" Suddenly Krad's voice was cut off as Dark's lips descended on his.

At first the kiss had frightened him a bit, but only for a moment. The cold didn't bother Krad anymore, for Dark now held him close with two hands around his waist instead of one. He was so warm, his lips, his body, his touch…everything. Dark's kiss could melt even the coldest of ice demons…and this was proof. And a soft whimper of sadness squeezed it's way out of Krad as Dark broke the kiss away and looked at Krad with a smile.

"I could go on…if you missed it that much?" Dark said in a soft and almost asking voice.

A moment without a kiss was already too much to bear! And Dark looked extremely tempting just standing there, soaking wet as well. Soft beads of cool water dripped from his hair and face, and his skin carried soft glows from the moonlight reflected from the water's surface, even his black wings glistened with pure white water droplets. God, he looked like something out of a dream. There wasn't a thing about Dark the Krad didn't want. It looked like Dark had discarded his coat after resurfacing before him, and his body suit clung to him like a second skin, and the skin underneath was even more irresistible then his lips. Did he miss having Dark that much? Krad couldn't speak, no words could answer such a question…but the kiss that the demon planted on the angel's lips could.

Dark took that as a yes and leaned forward into the kiss. God Krad tasted good! He could never get over how arousing and beautiful the demon was. There wasn't a flaw about him… soft pale skin, long golden hair, a kiss and taste to die for…there was nothing about Krad that didn't cause to thief's heart to skip a beat. Even though Krad was extremely powerful and durable…when Dark kissed him, he felt fragile and the need to be gentle with him kept Dark hesitant to do anything to hurt him. He wouldn't even deepen the kiss without Krad's permission, he felt so delicate and warm, Dark never wanted to let him go.

"You know…" Dark said pulling away a bit giving Krad a chance to breath as he made little kisses down his jaw line and neck, "You still have a promise to keep…" Dark said teasingly as he felt the demon's heart rate pick up.

"P-Promise?" Krad asked unable to think as Dark continued to make kisses down his neck.

"…You promised to finish what we started earlier…" Dark said softly and made Krad give a slight yelp as his gently nipped a sensitive part of his neck, "And since I won our little game…you owe me two…" Dark said and brought his mouth up to Krad's lips again for a kiss. Then Krad moaned a bit as he felt Dark's hand move down his side and under his coat to his hip, "Did that refresh your memory?" Dark asked with a grin and Krad looked ready to collapse under the sudden explosion of attention he was receiving.

"W-Wait…here…n-now…" Krad asked still trying to catch his breath as his heart beat faster.

"Well…there's no one around for miles…and Emiko isn't going to spoil the moment again…" Dark said as he licked the side of Krad's neck sending shivers down the demon's spine.

"Y-You planned this didn't you?" Krad growled and then gasped as Dark pressed his waist hard against Krad's.

"Hehe, maybe…" Dark said devouring the demons reaction to the sudden contact with pleasure.

Krad wanted to be angry with the thief for thinking that he would automatically consent to Dark's lustful desires if he just lured him out to the center of nowhere and drop him in a river, but he couldn't. This felt too good, and he had to admit it was clever of the thief…using a Hikari artwork as an excuse to lure Krad out onto a date that he had no idea about, and conveniently enough, it was located in a rather remote region. The last time he'd given into Dark's desires, he'd made him fight for it, and only after Dark had won a bout with him did he except…but now…he didn't feel like it was necessary. He wanted it too much this time to waste it on a pointless fight.

Krad smirked and nuzzled the thief's neck then kissed it lightly, "Deceitful little thief…" Krad whispered and pulled his face back face Dark grabbed his chin gently to look directly into golden eyes.

"And my naughty little angel…" Dark replied and after a smirk of his own and stroking the side of Krad's face for a moment, he leaned forward and kissed the golden angel passionately. Krad was everything to him and more…so he was sure to make their time together last forever, and all for all eternity.

Notes from the Author:

OMG!! I FINISHED MY THIRD STORY!! XD **dances** Yay! Sorry it's only 5 pages…and to all my fellow Yaoi Fan girls out there…bow bow bow Sorry sorry sorry! I know I know, it was getting so good right? **Sweat drop** Well, had I gone on I would have exceeded my PG-13 rating on this story…and I didn't want to do that…sooooooooooo hope you guys enjoyed it! I'll leave the juicy part to your imagination! **Sweat drop** AHHHHHHHHHHH!!! DON'T HURT ME!!! **Runs away**

**_General Kitty Girl_**

P.S. I LOVE YOU ALL! You guys have been so awesome, **sniffles** You guys always leave me great reviews and have been really understand these past few weeks about my late updates (I know! I promised this chapter like 2 days ago! **Cries** I'm sorry!)! Who knows, maybe we'll have another Distance story, but for now, I'm going to worry about ending my senior year alive and well, and passing my final and county exams! **Waves and huggles** I LOVE YOU ALL! Oh and THANKS FOR THE KRAD PLUSHIE!!! SKWEEEEEEEEEE!! **Huggles it **For now, this is General Kitty Girl a.k.a. Kelbora-chan saying…I love you all and Bye bye for now!


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